Daybreak
by GoldenDust
Summary: While trying to keep is ever increasing feelings for Kagome in check, Inuyasha is faced with a new problem; A new ally of Naraku sets his sights on Kagome. But it seems they've already met this new enemy...
1. Prologue Paradise

A/N: My first fanfic.

Sexual situation in this chapter. You have been warned. Enjoy!

I don't own Inuyasha.

Prologue - Paradise

A bird whistled overhead.

Inuyasha gingerly opened his eyes to the sound. Soft sunlight filtered through the trees, tracing patterns on his face as he lay on the grass in a daze.

It was warm. He felt so light. Eyes half open, he watched as the leaves above swayed rhythmically.

But where was the wind?

Eyes snapped wide open. Inuyasha bolted up right and looked around the clearing frantically. What the fuck was going on? How the fuck did he end up here?

He looked down at his hands gripped deep into the grass and soil. Hesitantly, he released the spoiled earth to look at his dirtied hands. A lump caught in his throat as he stared at the elongated claws stained with soil. They were never that long. Only when…

Laughter from beyond his range of sight caused his head to jerk up. Wiping his hands on his hakama, he stood and walked towards the line of trees. His ears twitched as he continued through the woods. There were people…lots of people. And they sounded…happy?

Picking up his pace, he ran through the trees to find himself standing at the edge of a forest in front of a small village. A group of people and youkai chattered happily as they walked past each other on their way to their daily routines.

"Ah! It's Inuyasha!" Cried one man as he walked past, cheerfully raising a hand in a friendly wave.

"Oh, it is!" smiled a bear youkai, walking along side his human companion, repeating the waving gesture. The two continued on to the rice fields.

Inuyasha didn't know how to react. This was his village? He swivelled his head to the left. Sure enough, in the distance Kaede Baa-baa was tending to the herb garden outside of her hut, Shippou hanging around her feet. The kitsune was carrying a pulled-out weed far too big for him.

This was his village alright, but it seemed…different.

"Inuyasha!"

His turned to see two people race towards him through the cheerful villagers.

"Miroku… Sango…" he mumbled.

"We were wondering where you had gone!" smiled Sango, petting the kitten Kirara on her shoulder.

"It's fantastic, isn't it Inuyasha?" beamed Miroku. "Ever since you destroyed Naraku, things have been getting better and better!"

Inuyasha's heart leapt.

"Na-Naraku is…dead?"

"Of course," said Sango, looking slightly concerned. "It was only two days ago. Have you forgotten?"

Inuyasha stared. "Wha..? No, no. I _do_ remember…"

That's right, it _did_ happen. Naraku was dead and everyone was happy. A thought suddenly came into mind.

"But then…Miroku, your…"

Miroku proudly held up his hand to reveal the perfect flesh of his palm. "Completely gone, my friend," he smiled triumphantly.

Inuyasha grinned. "You owe me, you stingy bastard!"

Miroku roared with laughter and slapped Inuyasha on the back. "Kohaku said the same thing!"

"Kohaku?!" Inuyasha spluttered.

He followed the monk's line of sight to see the freckled boy pulling buckets of water out of the village's well, chatting animatedly with Miroku's tanuki friend. Hachi… that was what he was called.

"After the battle, we managed to create a new body for him like that of Kikyou's using his bones and we called his soul back from the Other World, remember?" explained Sango.

"It was all thanks to Kaede. I thought my heart had stopped when he gave up his shard to complete the Shikon no Tama."

Inuyasha stared. "The jewel was completed?!"

"Of course, that's how we were able to make you a full youkai," said Miroku warily.

Inuyasha looked at them as if they were mad while Sango handed him small hand mirror.

Inuyasha stared in wonder at the two violet streaks across his cheeks. His golden eyes flared at the sight of his long fangs hidden behind his lips.

He did it. He became a full youkai. He was about to howl out loud in victory when his eyes caught the mirror. _Kagome's_ mirror. If the Shikon no Tama was completed then…

"Where's Kagome?!" He shouted in panic, looking around the crowd trying to pick up some almost hypnotic scent that would relax him. Why couldn't he smell her?!

"Inuyasha."

Inuyasha spun around to face a familiar miko standing at the forest edge. Her pewter eyes remained dark, yet a small smile unusually graced her lips.

"Kikyou…" Inuyasha breathed.

"The Shikon no Tama has left this world," she said. "Your wish caused it to disappear."

"Then-!" _Kagome..!_

"She is safe," Kikyou assured. Inuyasha let out a shaky breath.

"The Shikon no Tama has been completed and destroyed for good," She stated. "And my duty is over. As is yours."

"Kikyou…" Inuyasha murmured.

"You protected me with your life and helped me to achieve my goal. I can now rest. But you," Kikyou paused and the sincere smile widened. "You must live for now. You kept your promise to me, so you are free from any obligation I put you under."

"But-!" Inuyasha started. Kikyou put up a hand to silence him.

"No, we will not go to Hell together. There will be plenty of time for us to talk in the Next World. Besides," She looked to the sky. "My spirit has been calmed thanks to Naraku's death and the jewel's disappearance. I am no longer destined for That Place. I am no longer suffering."

She took two steps and kissed him on the cheek.

"Until then. Thank you, Inuyasha."

With that, her body lightly glowed and disappeared following the wind, like a trail of sakura petals dancing in the breeze. The breeze that Inuyasha still could not feel. At the moment though, he didn't care.

She was happy. She was no longer in pain. '_I am no longer suffering.'_ Inuyasha smiled at the sky, his heart swelling.

"Inuyasha," called Miroku.

The youkai turned to see the monk standing with one arm around Sango and the other on Kohaku's shoulder. To his left, stood Kaede with the kitsune by her feet and the tanuki by her shoulder. All were beaming at him.

"Shouldn't you head off? She's waiting for you." Miroku jerked his head in the direction of a small narrow path, hardly visible, that lead off into the forest.

Without thinking twice, Inuyasha set off towards the trees sensing the feeling of something beckoning him. Stepping over roots and jumping over rocks, a wave of calm swept over his body as he neared the end of his trek.

Nestled in a small clearing, appeared to be a shrine structure, no bigger than Kaede's hut. Any yet it was stunning. The roof was carved in intricate details, painted in gold, red and deep brown. The walls were made of thick, heavy, red curtains, so long, they bunched together on the ground. The scarlet material lightly moved in the invisible wind. Inuyasha felt he was in a dream as he pulled aside one of the curtains and entered the shrine.

Inuyasha stopped breathing.

Laid out on the large futon, covering most of the tatami mats, was a very naked Kagome lying on her back, her arms rested by the side of her head. She looked up at him expectantly. Her eyes warm, loving, smouldering.

Inuyasha took a deep breath and swallowed. "K-Kagome..?"

She slowly sat up, her eyes never leaving his.

"Inuyasha…" She whispered.

He could feel the heat building in his body almost instantly. Still keeping her eyes locked on his, she stood up and slowly walked over to him, the light from outside passing through the curtains, making her body appear flustered in the glowing red light. So innocent, yet so seductive.

Inuyasha could feel his pulse race. Sweat was beginning to form on his temple. Sure, he had seen her like this on one or two misadventures, but there was something so… intimate about this. She stood directly in front of him, her gaze yearning, but unwavering. Inuyasha gulped again leaving his throat dry.

"This had better not be a fucking dream again," he growled in a low voice. Kagome shook her head and smiled at him.

"Baka," she said as she wrapped her arms around his head and pressed her warm soft lips against his.

After recovering from the feeling he was melting, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to indulge by wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her in even closer, her body pressed up against his covered chest. Prying her lips open, he slid his lips along hers, marvelling at the silken sensation that was sending shivers up his spine.

Finally breaking away, his eyes met her burning ones. He could see her cheeks flush, feel her hot breath on his chin as she looked up at him. He was beginning to feel completely stifled from the heat.

She turned him around and gently pushed him back on the futon. With his head propped up with several plump pillows, he watched in eager anticipation as she crawled up his body, coming to straddle his hips. Untying his knots, she pulled apart his two layers to reveal his heaving chest dowsed in sweat. Running her hands up and down from his collarbone to his stomach, she leaned forward to take his mouth again whilst continuing the pleasant torture on his bare chest.

Inuyasha felt his eyes roll into the back of his head. His long youkai claws dug into the sheets. The rhythmic movements of their chests heaving on each other, her hands touching him everywhere, the hot wet kiss they were sharing.

It was paradise.

Breaking the kiss, Kagome travelled down his chest, leaving a trail of small kisses until she got to his hakama.

Control left him. In violent passion, he grabbed her shoulders and flipped her over, pinning her beneath him. He grinned back at her when she let out a soft giggle.

"Inuyasha…" She whispered.

"Kagome…" He replied, willing her to understand his feelings.

"Inuyasha… I love…"

Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at him.

"Inuyasha?"

He looked at her.

"Kagome? Are you ok?"

"Inuyasha?!" she cried, her eyes round as if in a trance, staring at something past him.

"Kagome?!" he started.

"Inuyasha?! Inuyasha, can you hear me?! Please! Come back! Please!"

"Kagome! What's wrong?! I'm right here!" Inuyasha yelled in panic as he shook her shoulders.

"Inuyasha, please! You have to wake up! You have to wake up NOW!!"

Author's Note: Just want to say I hope you enjoyed this prologue! New chapters will be uploaded every few days until it's caught up with my other account (on Media Miner). See my profile page for more details if you're interested :)


	2. Crushes and Demons

Author's Note: Yes, these A/N can be annoying, but I just want to say thankyou to **HeidiBax, PunkLover **and **Kouga's** **Older Woman** for your encouragement!

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 1- Crushes and Demons

Kagome looked at the clock and cringed. Darn! She was late! She should have never listened to her friends. Now if she didn't get home soon, he'll come looking for her! He would burst in, eyes blazing gold, lip curled back over a fang in a growl as his silver hair hung around his face. "_What the fuck is taking you so long, Kagome?!_"

It would be at that precise moment she would sit him. An evil smile flickered across her face.

"Kagome?" Kagome was pulled from her daydream by a member of the group. Her three friends stared at her inquisitively while the oblivious Hojo smiled blankly, unaware of her mental absence.

"Ah, y-yeah?" Kagome stuttered.

"We were just saying that this weekend would be perfect for you and Hojo to see that movie you haven't seen yet."

"That's only if you want to go Higurashi-san" blushed Hojo.

Kagome's hand gripped the wall of the school corridor. She was being set up AGAIN? It was about now she really _did_ wish Inuyasha would come bursting through the school doors to drag her back to the Feudal Era. You didn't have to worry about sneaky friends (with good intentions) conspiring behind your back 500 years ago.

Kagome glanced at the clock again. "Oh, that sounds very nice Hojo-kun," Kagome began. "But you know my health… I would hate to make any promises in case I can't make it…"

"Oh, don't worry!" Smiled Hojo as he reached down and picked up an overly stuffed basket. "These are Gobo. A vegetable that's supposed to be really good for your immune system! If you take these everyday, you should be fine by the weekend!" He beamed.

Kagome stared at the masses of brown roots peeking out the sides of basket.

"So what do you say, Kagome?" pestered Eri.

Kagome looked up at the girl, speechless. Sure, Hojo was a nice guy, but he was just … not Inuyasha.

Suddenly, the two doors were kicked open behind her with a smash, leaving two huge indents in the walls. Silhouetted in the daylight stood her knight in red fire-rat armour, head covered in a black bandanna, thick eyebrows drawn dangerously close together in a scowl. Kagome nearly shed a tear in happiness as her smile grew.

"Inuyasha…"

"What the fuck is taking you so long, Kagome?!" he yelled.

Kagome let out a high pitched laugh. He was so predictable. Now he'd get seriously pissed off and ask what's so funny.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "What the fuck're you laughing at, wench?"

"Nothing," she giggled.

"Then let's get going already!!"

"Ah, Higurashi-san," started Hojo. "Is he that…violent guy?" He asked whispering in her ear. Although meant for only her to hear, Kagome saw two mounds under Inuyasha's bandanna twitch.

Oh crap.

"And who the hell are you?" growled the hanyou. Kagome swivelled to glare at the girls.

"You TOLD HIM?!" she gritted through her teeth. The three girls grouped together and laughed nervously.

Controlling a twitch from her left eye, she turned back to her saviour. "I was just leaving, you know. You don't have to come and pick me up if I'm running a little late!"

"Keh!" he turned his head to the side, his arms crossed. "If I didn't come to get you, we'd never get back to business!"

"Kagome, are you involved in some shady business with this guy?" asked Eri.

"No! I'm not!! Let's go Inuyasha!" She began to leave.

"Wait, Higurashi-san!" said Hojo placing a hand on her shoulder. "You forgot your gobo!"

In what seemed like a rush of wind, Kagome was whipped away by a blur of red. She gasped when her eyes focused on Hojo cringing on one knee in agony whilst Inuyasha held his wrist in one hand.

"What do you think you're doing? You little bastard…"

Kagome glared. "Inuyasha!! Let him go!!"

Sensing her anger, Inuyasha released Hojo's wrist from his grasp. Kagome crouched down.

"Oh my god, Hojo-kun, I am so so sorry! Are you alright?"

"It's alright, Higurashi-san," smiled Hojo weakly as he stood up again. He carefully tried to flex his hand. "It's not that bad. Just a little bruised…"

"Oh no!" cried Kagome. Inuyasha picked up her school bag lying stationary by the corridor wall and slung it over his shoulder.

"He's fine. Let's go Kagome!" He called over his shoulder. Kagome looked apologetically at Hojo.

"I really am very sorry for him, Hojo-kun. I'll see you later." She turned and stormed after her violent companion.

Ayumi, Eri and Yuka crowded around Hojo as they watched the two leave.

"Oh my god… that was scary!" cried Eri.

"Yeah… I know she said he gets violent sometimes, but I didn't think she meant it like that!" agreed Yuka.

"But," started Ayumi. "When we met him, he was nothing like that. He seemed nice."

"That's true," Yuka murmured.

"Is Higurashi-san, really gonna be okay with that guy?" asked Hojo, staring concerned at the closed, battered doors.

"I think so," said Ayumi. "Before, he only looked like he was protecting Kagome. He does seem to really like her."

"Are you serious? Protecting her from Hojo? Yeah, right!" yelled Eri. "If he's that violent, who knows if he ever gets that way with Kagome!"

"But she's still with him despite all that." replied Ayumi.

"Such is the way of love," finished Yuka.

"Kagome…" whispered Hojo.

*****

"SIT!!!!"

He was brought to the ground again in an ear-splitting CRACK.

"I barely fucking touched him!" shouted Inuyasha from his crater.

"SIT!!!"

THUMP.

"OW!!"

It was the fifteenth time she had sat him on their way home. Usually Kagome was careful not to sit him when they were in her time, saying she didn't want to cause a scene. Well, she had caused FIFTEEN of them! Not to mention the fifteen huge indentations now scattered around the district. The second they had gotten around the corner from her school, she had sat him three times simultaneously. Saying she was pissed would be an understatement.

Inuyasha craned his neck up to see Kagome storming her way towards the shrine steps. Her skirt lightly fluttered as she angrily bounced up the stairs. Inuyasha swallowed as he saw teasing glimpses of the special white material flash into view and looked away, slightly ashamed.

It was his guilty pleasure. It's not like he would deliberately go to lengths to see what was under her skirt like the lecherous monk, no. But if the situation arose in which he could just catch a glance without being sat, he couldn't help but send his eyes her way. But wasn't that just as bad?

Inuyasha shook the thoughts away, cursing. Dammit! Now was not the time to be fantasising! He was only trying to protect her. There was something about that Hojo guy he didn't like. There was just this feeling about him. She had no right to get mad at him.

"Why are you so mad?!" he called out.

Kagome stopped and flipped around suddenly, giving him a full view of her underwear before it disappeared beneath the green skirt again. Inuyasha hoped she didn't see his eyes dart down just in time to catch a glimpse.

"Why am I so mad? You hurt Hojo!"

"I only grabbed his wrist! It's not my fault he's a weak human," he grumbled from the concrete.

"He's not weak!" Kagome shouted, continuing her way up the steps again. "He's caring and sensitive and is the most popular guy in school! He's _so_ nice, he was giving me something to get me healthy because he thought I was unwell!"

"What about the fucking medicine _I_ gave you when you were sick?!"

Kagome stopped.

Inuyasha smiled victoriously. Ha! He got her now! Now she'll turn around and apologi-

"SIT!!!!"

THUMP!

"Fuck!"

"I'm going to pack! You better be at the well in five minutes!!" She sniffed as she walked to the top of the stairs and disappeared. Inuyasha glared in the direction she left.

"Inuyasha- onii chan?" called Souta as he neared the steps, coming home from school. "You and Nee-chan had a fight again, didn't you?"

"Not now, runt…!"

*****

Miroku stared at the rosary beads wrapped around his hand. Sighing, he leaned his head back against the tree to look up at the energetic kitsune hopping around the wooden well, lying in the middle of clearing.

"When did he say they'd come back?" Shippou asked over his shoulder.

"Relax, Shippou," said Sango, polishing her Hiraikotsu. "You know how much Kagome likes to be organised. She must be busy packing."

Kirara, by her master's side, mewed in agreement.

"She does like to be organised," said Miroku, wistfully watching Sango tending to her weapon. One day he'd like to polish her like she was his feisty little hiraikotsu.

"So where are we going?" asked Shippou.

"Well, we've heard a rumour about a troublesome youkai to the south of here, so we'll head off in that direction," Miroku announced.

"I hope they're not too much longer," grumbled Shippou as he looked to the well.

Suddenly a huge WHUMP and dust cloud exploded from the well.

"FUCK, KAGOME! DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE SAT DOWN A FIVE HUNDRED YEAR PORTAL?!!"

"No, but it looks like the momentum helped with the impact!" huffed Kagome as she climbed out of the well.

"Looks like you got your wish Shippou," laughed Miroku cheerfully.

Shippou ran up to his mother figure. "How are you, Kagome?"

"I'm great Shippou-chan!" Kagome beamed. "Though I can't say the same for Inuyasha," she said, glowering at the well out of the corner of her eye.

"Of course not, bitch! I've been tenderised!!" yelled Inuyasha as he finally emerged from the wooden structure. Kagome rounded on him.

"Well maybe you should have thought about that before you did anything stupid!!"

"Don't call me stupid! Besides, I barely even touched him!!"

The fight continued.

"Well, they seem perfectly fine," said Sango rolling her eyes. "I'm gonna head off. They can catch up when they're done."

"Indeed," agreed Miroku getting up and following Sango. "It looks like this will be taking a while."

Shippou took one last look at the arguing couple, sighed and followed after the others.

"You know it was wrong, Inuyasha," Kagome said as she tried to calm down. "And you should feel sorry!"

"Well, I'm not apologising, 'cause I'm not sorry!" He said folding his arms. Kagome forced herself to take a deep breath and turned her back on him.

"The worst thing was that you hurt one of my friends!"

"Oh, he's just a_ friend_, is he?" Inuyasha growled.

Kagome paused. Was the reason he was so violent because he was… jealous?

Kagome couldn't stop a warm sensation spreading through her chest and slightly blushed. Then again, he was just as jealous when it came to Kouga. But, Hojo was just "a weak human", so why did he feel threatened? Kagome began to feel ashamed. Perhaps she was too hard on him. Yes, it was wrong of him to hurt Hojo like that, but she had already punished him enough with her bombardment of sits, surely.

Kagome turned to the angry hanyou.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha," she murmured. Inuyasha's mouth hung open.

"Wh- What?! You were telling _me _all this time to feel sorry and now _you're _apologising?!!"

"It's ok," she smiled. "I know how you are sometimes."

With that she turned and began to follow the others. Inuyasha stood there dumbfounded, wondering what had made her do a complete 180 on him.

"Are you coming, Inuyasha? The shards won't find themselves!" She called.

Inuyasha blushed and took off.

"Girls are weird," he said to himself as he sped after her.

P.S. BTW for those wondering, the prologue won't have much significance until near the end of the story. Yes, it's a sneak peak of the future, but don't worry! It'll definitely come back at the end of the ride! Hope you liked the chapter!

GoldenDust


	3. The Disappearance

Chapter 2- The Disappearance

Inuyasha woke with a start in his place high up a tree. It was quiet. He looked down at his sleeping companions camped in the small clearing. They were undisturbed. A tinge of pink dusted the horizon.

Daybreak… He brought a hand to his head and sighed.

He had had that dream again. Well, it might have been a memory, but as time went on, he decided it was a dream. It was completely farfetched and didn't make any sense and all the details had become blurry. Inuyasha leaned his head back against the trunk and closed his eyes. Of course it didn't make any sense. How could Kikyou be alive back then…?

*****

The sky was becoming ever so slightly lighter as the dawn slowly approached. But his attentions were elsewhere. He watched her silhouette glow as she walked towards a blinding light.

"Wait!!" he shouted, his little legs stumbling over the wooden planks. She stopped and turned, watching him run up the garden bridge towards her.

"Koinu-chan…" she whispered.

Inuyasha reached her, puffing. His bottom lip trembled.

"You promised," he sobbed. "You said we would play another game." He couldn't stop the tears rolling down his cheeks and shamefully looked down, furiously wiping them away with his little red haori.

"Koinu-chan," he heard her say through a cracked voice. He was suddenly swept up into her arms. Inuyasha angrily sobbed into her pink silk kimono. He could smell her tears. She didn't want to leave either.

"Why do you have to go?" he cried. She squeezed him tighter.

"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha. But I have to go. This isn't my place," she shakily sighed.

"But you're the only other person apart from mom who likes me," he hiccupped. He felt her squeeze him even tighter. He felt so safe…

"Listen to me Koinu-chan," she began as she pulled away to face him. "I have to go now, but I _will_ see you again. I can guarantee that."

She took his face in her hands.

"I may not remember anything, but when we do meet again, we will have lots of fun and adventures together."

She crushed him to her chest again as he began to cry once more.

"It will be a long, long time before that though. And between now and then you will face many… difficult things, but from them you'll grow into strong young man. I promise you, I will see you again."

He felt her pull away and looked up. She smiled sadly taking in his face before she turned away and walked to the light glowing in the middle of the bridge. Each step was taking her further and further away from him.

No… he didn't want her to leave.

He only felt strong when she was with him.

And watching her leave was only making him more helpless.

He couldn't do anything alone!!

A wave of panic swept through his chest. Without thinking he raced towards her, arms stretched out.

"WAIT-!"

She turned to look at him. That was the image that had stayed with him throughout his life. Her bright round eyes shone like glass as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Her lips parted as if trying to say something. But within a split second, the light engulfed her and she was gone. That woman was his first love.

*****

She had kept her promise and they had met again 50 years ago. Although at first he wasn't sure she and Kikyou were the same person. She had become distant and heavily focused on her duty, protecting the Shikon no Tama in her village. When he first tried to take the jewel and failed, he hadn't even realised who she was. It wasn't until many failed attempts later when she invited him to sit and talk with her did he make the connection.

_I am weird, aren't I?_

Inuyasha's heart had leapt at the sad smile. At that moment she had looked just the same as the woman from his memory. He had met Kikyou when he was a child! He didn't know how it was possible, but he was positive it was her.

And just like she had promised, she didn't remember anything.

He would occasionally drop hints about pink kimonos or something about Koinus, but whenever he did, she would stare at him blankly. He assumed the woman from his childhood had lost her memory and now lived her life as Kikyou. How, he still didn't know. Perhaps this woman never existed… Without his mother around to ask, and with Kikyou not being able to remember anything, Inuyasha over time dismissed it and let it fall to the back of his mind. Instead, he began to focus on the Kikyou of his adult life and found himself falling in love with her again. She was still his first love.

"Wonder what she's doing right now," he wondered out loud to himself. The sky was getting lighter. Inuyasha pushed the thoughts away and gave his arm a good stretch. It was time to get the day started.

*****

"There's the village!" cried Kagome happily pointing at the huts nestled in the valley.

It had been a good week. Well, maybe not to Inuyasha, who had been grumbling ever since they had decided to head back, but good enough for Kagome. The rumour had turned out to be true. A lizard youkai had been terrorising several villages two days south of the Bone Eaters Well. The battle wasn't too bad. After a couple Cutting Winds, the youkai had realised just how screwed he was facing off against a pissed off hanyou with a giant fang for a sword (they had met Kouga not two hours before they had come across the lizard and Inuyasha's jealous rage still hadn't subsided).

Kagome remembered how he nearly tore down the entire forest in frustration when they found out the youkai didn't actually have a fragment, despite its immense strength. Kagome sat on a log with the others, staring bored at the raging Inuyasha while he cursed and kicked over tree stumps. Miroku eventually got up and gave him a good whack on the head with his staff saying how inappropriately he was acting in front of women. He finally shut up, storming off to find fire wood. The rest of group had looked at each other and sighed.

But aside from that, it had been a good week.

"Just one day, got it?" warned Inuyasha walking by her side as they entered the village.

"Don't worry," Kagome assured. "It's just one test. And I just need to pick up some material I've missed. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. And don't come looking for me if I'm a little late." She added darkly.

Inuyasha winced at the memory of being sat down the well. He flicked his head away in a loud 'keh!'

"Poor Kagome," sighed Miroku shaking his head. "It must be difficult having to take all these tests while continuing on the quest for Shikon shards."

"And it doesn't help with Inuyasha causing more problems for Kagome by constantly fluttering between her and Kikyou," added Shippou, shrugging his shoulders. Inuyasha's fist collided with Shippou's head.

"Let's go talk to Kaede," motioned Sango as the girls left the fox and dog demons squabbling.

Kaede looked up from her garden as the girls approached. Her wrinkled mouth instantly widened into a welcoming smile.

"Welcome back, children," the old miko greeted. "How was the rumoured youkai?"

"It was just that; a simple youkai," answered Kagome, smiling. "How has the village been?"

"Quiet and peaceful, the way it's supposed to be," she smiled, getting to her feet. Kagome could see her struggling and helped her, hooking an arm under her shoulder.

"Thank you, child."

Kaede stopped.

"Oh dear, Sango, you might want to keep an eye on your monk," said Kaede.

The girls turned to see Miroku clasping the hands of a young village girl. Kagome grimaced when she saw his mouth form the words _bare my child_. Sango turned around to the women and smiled.

"If you'll excuse me," she said as she walked off in Miroku's direction.

After hearing the satisfying WHACK and the expected "HENTAI!!", Kaede turned to her young apprentice.

"Kagome, before I forget, there was some interesting news that came to the village while you were gone."

"What was it, Kaede-baachan?" asked Kagome. Kaede sorted the weeds in her hands as she spoke.

"Apparently, there is some more youkai trouble to the east of here. A lord of a castle there is apparently sending out messengers in hope of finding someone able to exterminate their problem."

Kagome furrowed her brow. "It certainly sounds like a possible lead, doesn't it?"

"Perhaps you should look into it once you return," suggested Kaede as she reached for a basket of herbs. "But for now you have an important 'test' do you not?"

"Ah, yes! I should get home and study!"

She quickly said goodbye to Kaede and walked past Sango who was repeatedly kicking Miroku on the ground (Miroku didn't seem to be minding it, strangely enough).

"I'm going now, Inuyasha!" she called. Inuyasha looked up, holding Shippou in an arm lock. He pulled an angry face in warning.

"You better come back as soon as you can!"

Kagome giggled to herself. She liked it when he pulled that face. Though she would never tell him.

Once, when she had told him she had to go home for a test a few months ago, he had rushed up and stood over her glowering, his golden eyes ablaze as he told her she had just returned home recently. It was the first time he had given her tingles down her spine. She didn't know why, but that one glare made her feel helpless, like she was under his control. …and she sort of… liked it. Of course she had blushed at the lecherous thought and told him to "sit" for getting too close. A decision which she thoroughly regretted now.

"I'll be back this time tomorrow, I promise!" With that, she headed off to the well.

*****

Kagome hummed to herself as she hopped out of the well in her time and walked up the stairs to gaze upon her house. She squealed with delight. She was looking forward to having a bath and sleeping in a bed. She hadn't bathed for two days and felt disgusting.

"It's funny how the simple things in life are missed the most," she thought to herself as she cheerfully ran to the house.

"Mama! Souta! Jii-chan! I'm home!" she called as she kicked off her shoes in the hall.

"Kagome?" her mother called sticking her head around the door. "Oh, good! You're back," she sighed. Kagome caught the relief in her mother's voice.

"Of course, I always come back! You know that!" she smiled as she gave her mother a warm hug.

"I know, honey, I know…" said her mother trailing off in thought.

"Mama?" asked Kagome pulling back. "What's wrong?"

Her mother looked at her hesitantly before answering. "…the police have been here."

Kagome's mouth dropped. "What happened? Are Souta and jii-chan alright?" she asked panicked.

"Yes, yes, their fine, sweetheart," said her mother calming her down. Kagome took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Then what did they want?" the young girl asked.

"Well, you see Kagome…" her mother began awkwardly. "It seems one of your classmates… Hojo, is missing…"

A/N: ooh… yeah it's a very slight cliffy. Sorry to those who hate them, but there's lots of cliffys in this story and I'm evil that way ^_^ Anyway, once again, huge thanks to **HeidiBax **and **Punklover** for the reviews!

BTW for those who don't know, 'Koinu' is Japanese for 'puppy'.


	4. Mysterious Castle

Chapter 3- Mysterious Castle

Needless to say, Kagome didn't get much studying done. After recovering from the shock, her mother had sat her down in the kitchen and informed her of all the past events that had taken place since she had left for the Feudal Era.

The day Kagome and Inuyasha returned to the past, Kagome's mother had received a call from Hojo's parents at two in the morning asking if Kagome had seen their son. Apparently after saying goodbye to Yuka, Eri and Ayumi, Hojo had left for home.

And never arrived.

"A week ago… he's been gone the entire week…" murmured Kagome in disbelief. She forced herself to take another sip of her tea; her throat was dry from her nervous swallowing.

"Yes, the police are increasing the number of people investigating," her mother said grimly. "And of course, since you were one of the last people to see him, they came here to ask questions."

Kagome spluttered. "W-what…?"

"It was terrible, Nee-chan!!" cried Souta, his head just peeking above the table. "Mama and Jii-chan told the police you were sick in bed upstairs, but when they wouldn't leave, I had to put on your nightdress and pretend I was you!"

Kagome stared at him for a second before letting out a giggle, marvelling in the relief it brought from the heavy tension.

"And you fooled them?"

"Yeah! That was the worst part! I had to put on a cold mask and talk like a girl and everything! So uncool!" he grumbled as he turned his head to the side in a very Inuyasha-like fashion.

"We also wrapped his hair in a towel," smiled her mother.

"So you _did_ get away with it, didn't you?" asked Kagome cautiously. She felt terrible about Hojo, but the last thing she needed was for his disappearance to reveal her secret miko life she lived in the past.

"They bought it," her mother assured. "Your grandfather told them you were suffering from a rare kind of Guatemalan infection, hence that was why you seemed out of sorts when they interviewed you."

_Good one, Jii-chan_ thought Kagome sarcastically. _Why does it have to be from Guatemala?_

"Oh! Hey, Nee-chan! They even asked about Inuyasha!" said Souta excitedly.

Kagome nearly inhaled her heart as it leapt into her oesophagus. "What?!"

"It's fine, sweetheart!" said her mother gently. "Since he was with you the last time Hojo was seen, they just needed to ask a few questions about Inuyasha."

"Like what?" asked Kagome suspiciously.

"Like if he had a reason to kill Hojo," stated Souta enthusiastically.

"WHAT?!!!"

Kagome stood up in a rush and smashed her fists upon the table.

"What do they mean a 'reason to kill Hojo'?! Inuyasha would _never_ do something like that!!"

"We know, we know, Kagome," said her mother gently as she placed her hands on her fuming daughter's shoulders. "We told them there was nothing to suspect him of. Don't worry, we made up an alibi and said he ate dinner with us during the time Hojo went missing."

Kagome slumped down in her chair exhaling. This was more exhausting than battling Naraku!

"Your secret is safe, Kagome," her mother smiled patting her hand. Kagome smiled back gratefully. Yes, her secret was safe, but what about Hojo?

*****

The next day seemed like an awful dream as Kagome faced her schoolmates and their talk of the mysterious disappearance of Hojo. The second she walked into the classroom the girls had leapt at her, screeching in high voices.

"Oh my God, Kagome! Isn't it terrible?!"

"His mom called me the night he disappeared, asking if I'd seen him!!"

"Kagome, do you think, perhaps, maybe, possibly, there might be a slight chance, that guy, Inuyasha, may have…done something?"

Kagome had shrieked Inuyasha's defence, saying how ridiculous they and the police were being, framing him like that and how Inuyasha was just in a bad mood that day. Besides, he had stayed for dinner that night with the Higurashi's when Hojo had disappeared and there were four witnesses to this event, if they _still_ didn't believe her.

After calming down, the girls, looking disappointed, had began to talk of nothing but Hojo for the rest of the day. The news seemed to be the only thing the entire school was gossiping about.

Groups of girls hugged each other and sobbed during recess. The guys from Hojo's club had put up a memorial in front of Hojo's locker. Kagome had done terribly on her test (which wasn't postponed, despite the circumstances) and nearly cried with happiness as the day finally drew to a close. The place was stifling! Refusing to wait any longer, Kagome had skipped the final homeroom period and raced home, eager to return to the Feudal Era.

She felt bad, but there was only one place she wanted to be right now. She wanted to be near Inuyasha. Things made sense when she was around him! Things were normal when they were together! There were no missing classmates, no hysterical friends; there was just reliable, strong, grumpy Inuyasha!

Picturing his smouldering glare as a reward in her mind, Kagome raced home as fast as she could.

*****

She was panting his name in his ear again.

"_Inuyasha…_"

He had her pressed against him, their bare chests touching. He was running his hands up and down her back, feeling how soft she was. He buried his nose into the crook of her neck, diving into her scent, as he felt her clutch at his back. He smirked at her shuddering gasp when he slid his hands down to cup her behind and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"_Please, Inuyasha…_" she practically whimpered.

She was burning up in his arms. A trickle of sweat rolled down her temple before he licked it away savouring the taste of her hot, salty skin. He was so close…

"DAMMIT!!" Inuyasha cursed as he slammed his head into the back of a tree, leaving a dent in the wood.

Stupid day dream!! Inuyasha rammed his head back again as the mental image returned. Stupid Kagome!!

He had decided to keep his promise this time and wait for her instead of going to pick her up as he didn't want a repercussion of last time; it hurt much more to be sat on that hard grey stuff than on grass. He had tried to hang around Miroku and Sango who were helping Kaede with her chores, but of course, the waiting just made him more irritable. So he had taken off into the forest to wait impatiently around The Well.

Eventually he had sat sulking by a tree a little way from the portal, imagining what he was going to say to her the second she finally _did_ show up. He knew she still had a while before she came back, but it didn't stop his bad mood. He had imagined he had told her he was getting sick of her leaving him to which she responded _then make me stay with you forever_. He didn't know how his mind had moved to that point, but suddenly he was caressing her, feeling her warmth on his body, hearing her voice moan in his ear. Then his body had started to react to the dream.

Inuyasha looked down at the bulge in his hakama.

"Fuck!"

Whenever he got like this it usually would never go away until he had a quick cold dip in a river or until he 'dealt' with it himself. Mind you, he could usually get rid of it if a sudden thought of Kikyou flashed through his head. The immense guilt he felt was usually enough to make him go down. Focusing on his past with Kikyou, Inuyasha closed his eyes and willed himself to calm down.

He nearly roared in frustration when Kikyou morphed into Kagome smiling sincerely at him.

Inuyasha looked down. His 'friend' still looked 'up'. He sighed. It was just the way of the body, he was once told. Well, it was still fucking embarrassing!

Looking around, he reluctantly began to reach for the knot in his pants. As he slowly untied, he imagined Kagome's scent surrounding him. Just her face, her eyes, looking only at him… she smelt so nice…

"Inuyasha?" she called in reality…

"FUCK!"

He leapt in the air, one hand holding the loosened knot, and landed behind a tall bush, which he had conveniently placed between himself and the girl standing by the well.

"Don't fucking sneak up on people!" he yelled.

Kagome's eyes widened from the sudden outburst. "Well, excuse me! And I thought you might be happy to see me back early for once!" she fumed.

Inuyasha knew she couldn't see anything below his waist thanks to the bush, but still crouched lower in a defensive manner. He had to keep her away until he calmed down.

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah, it's about time you got it right. What's the matter? That Hojo guy isn't giving you any attention back there?"

Kagome's face fell. Inuyasha held his breath in hope she would storm away in anger.

"Listen, Inuyasha…" she began as she stepped forward.

Noticing the movement, he leapt up onto a high branch, facing away from her.

"Yeah, whatever! As soon as you get your ass in gear, we're leaving! I'll go tell Shippou you're back."

He sped off into the forest without looking back, leaving a very confused and angry Kagome with her mouth hanging half open. It was for the best. He'd rather her angry than appalled. Cursing to himself, he leapt through the forest in search of a cold rushing river.

*****

'_She's pissed, she's pissed, hot damn, is she pissed'_ thought Miroku stiffly as he faced away from a fuming Kagome. He could practically feel the venom emanating from her body as she sat quietly behind him, gently stroking Shippou as he slept in her lap.

Since she had returned from the future, she had not spoken a word to Inuyasha and had spoken only a few polite words to the rest of the group. When suggesting he call for his tanuki servant to fly them to the new rumoured castle, she had only replied "fine" before resuming her darkly stoic presence. He would have taken this response as an enthusiastic one if it were not for the murderous vibe she reeked.

Trying to ignore the hairs standing up on the back of his neck, the monk looked out over the vast green mountains below them.

"How is it, Hachi?" he called from the overly inflated tanuki's back.

"We should be getting close now Miroku-sama," their giant, yellow carrier replied.

"So, Myouga," said Miroku as he turned to the little flea hopping on his shoulder. "You say Kaede's rumour is right?"

"Yes, Houshi-sama," jumped the flea youkai. "Even in the youkai world, my sources have told me that rogue youkai are targeting the castle. There is a rumour about a being sent from the heavens residing there."

"A heavenly being…" murmured the monk to himself. "I see…"

Keeping his eyes fixed on the horizon that was beginning to glow orange, Miroku shifted closer to the youkai exterminator on his right.

"Has Kagome-sama told you what is bothering her, Sango?" he whispered in her ear.

"No, but it would probably be something to do with Inuyasha," sighed Sango quietly. "It must have been really bad, though. Even Kirara is feeling nervous."

True to her word, even the small fire neko's fur was standing up as if it had just been electrocuted. Miroku sighed.

"If only that Inuyasha could finally get it together," he thought aloud. "And stop running off to meet with Kikyou, hurting poor Kagome-sama's feelings…"

Inuyasha, who had been sitting rather frightened at the back of the flying youkai, heard this and glared at the monk.

"What the hell, you bastard? You don't know anything!"

"Oh? And you_ do_?" asked Kagome expressionlessly.

Inuyasha cowered from the vicious aura being sent his way. He couldn't work out why she was so mad. It wasn't like he hadn't spoken like that to her before.

"We're descending!" called the tanuki as he began to fly lower to a large village. The castle rested on a low lying hill looking over the small town.

"Thank heavens," exclaimed Miroku as his hand inched towards Sango's rear. "I don't think I could've taken any more of the tension."

There was a loud _crack_ as the hiraikotsu met the monk's head and a_ thump_ when he hit the ground.

"Well, that was refreshing," said the monk cheerfully as he began to brush the dirt off his robes. The others landed lightly on the ground behind him. The group said their goodbyes to Hachi and began to walk to the castle. As they neared, Sango turned to her friend.

"Kagome-chan, can you sense anything?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, there's no feeling of a shikon shard's presence."

"So this is the castle Kaede-Baba was talking about?" asked Inuyasha as he stared at the palace gates.

"It certainly seems so, but I can't see why youkai are targeting it. It's not radiating any youki or strange auras that would entice them." said Miroku.

"Maybe it's the heavenly being they want," piped up Shippou resting on Kagome's shoulder. He had woken up from the loud noise made when Miroku's skull collided with the hard ground.

"Perhaps… it looks like this will take some investigating," said Sango.

"Keh, whatever," Inuyasha scoffed. "Whatever it is they're after, we'll just get to it first and beat the rest of them to a pulp."

*****

"I see…youkai have been appearing every evening."

"Yes Houshi-sama! We are at a loss of what to do!" cried the retainer. He kneeled in front of the group, his hands placed in front of his knees on the tatami mats. Behind him knelt the palace guards and servants. All the men in the room had black bags under their eyes, conveying the immense exhaustion they had from remaining awake the past several nights.

"It's always the same group of youkai that storm the castle. We've tried all kinds of ofuda, but they don't seem powerful enough. Every night we lose more and more men. If this keeps up..!"

Miroku raised his hand calmly.

"I understand. Do not fear. We will exterminate them tonight. Of course, we may need a place to rest…" he trailed off.

"Of course!" cried the retainer. "I will ask the permission of the Lord of this castle. He is a most humble and generous Lord!"

"Excellent!" said Miroku smugly, rubbing his hands together. He turned to Kagome, Shippou and Sango and beamed. "It's been quite a while since we've stayed in a castle."

Inuyasha, sitting on the wooden veranda outside the room, rolled his eyes. "That's 'cause most of 'em have figured out you're a scab." He grumbled.

Suddenly a loud bell began clanging from the watchman's tower stationed behind the palace walls.

"YOUKAI! THE YOUKAI ARE HERE!!"

"The youkai?!" cried the retainer.

"Already?" exclaimed Kagome.

"It's about time…" smirked Inuyasha as he took a giant leapt from the room to the roof of the watch tower. He faced the forest a hundred yards away and sniffed the air. "Yep, they're definitely coming," he grinned to himself. Reaching for his hilt, he drew tessaiga and held the massive fang poised for the fight.

"Everyone, station yourselves around the Lord's room!" ordered Miroku. "Leave the youkai to us! Only attack them to defend!"

"Kagome-chan, let's go!" shouted Sango as she followed after Inuyasha.

"Stay here, Shippou-chan," said Kagome. "And Myouga Jii-chan, don't run away without telling us first."

"What? I would never!" cried an outraged Myouga who had miraculously popped up within the safety of Shippou's tail.

Without warning, the remaining light of the day was blocked by an overbearing shadow spread across the castle. A grotesque, flying, snake-like youkai and its smaller brothers looked down at the red clad hanyou staring up at them defiantly. Red tentacles spewed from the leader snake's mouth, thick green mucus dripping from their tips.

"What the fuck are you waiting for?" Inuyasha sneered. "You gonna stare at me all day?"

The snake reared its tail back and sent it flying at the dog demon. Inuyasha dodged the strike as the tail smashed into the thick stone walls. Landing on an untouched ledge, he turned and swung his sword.

"KAZE NO KIZU!!!"

An explosion of light ripped away from the sword as the head snake youkai was cut into two clean pieces. Taking the opportunity, the smaller snakes dove into the palace grounds towards the castle.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" yelled Inuyasha as he tried to race after the swarm.

"HIRAIKOTSU!!"

Sango's boomerang came flying out of nowhere ripping apart the smaller youkai before she gracefully caught it on its return.

"Inuyasha, look!!" screamed Kagome pointing to the sky. After realising she was talking to him again, Inuyasha forced down his feelings of relief and looked up to see another swarm trying to attack the castle from above.

"Sango!" He shouted.

"Already on it! Kirara!"

With a roar, the transformed fire cat picked up her human partner and took to the sky.

Without warning, Inuyasha was struck by something and skidded into the gravel. The tessaiga clattered to the ground, untransformed.

"Inuyasha!!" Kagome screamed. She knocked an arrow into her bow and faced the thing that had hit her hanyou companion. It was the head snake with the red mouth-tentacles.

'_Didn't Inuyasha already…?'_ Her thoughts were interrupted by the snake youkai diving at her. Taken aback, her foot slipped and she let go of the quiver, the arrow narrowly missing its mark. The snake youkai, ignoring its near miss, continued to lunge for the girl, its red tentacles stretching out in anticipation.

"YOU BASTARD!!!"

Kagome had barely any time to think as a strong arm encased her waist and pulled her to a warm, red haori covered chest.

"SANKONTESSOU!!" Inuyasha screamed as his other free arm ripped the snake's face to shreds.

"What the hell? I already hit that guy square in the face…!" Inuyasha said aloud while gripping onto Kagome's waist. He was careless, and it had nearly cost him Kagome's life…

"Inuyasha…!" Kagome exclaimed as they watched the remaining pieces of flesh writhe, each beginning to form its own head. Soon there were several smaller copies of the head snake youkai, each with red tentacles hanging from their mouths wriggling on the gravel.

"Shit. So that's how it survived my Cutting Wind…" growled Inuyasha.

"You two might want to get behind me!" Called Miroku as he ran towards them, undoing his rosary beads. Inuyasha held Kagome tighter as he leapt behind the monk.

"KAZAANA!!" Miroku yelled as he opened his palm towards the youkai. Instantly, the snakes were dragged towards the black hole in his hand and disappeared.

"Sango! Lead the rest down here!!" he yelled. Following his order, Sango and Kirara flew over the monk's head to land behind him. The remaining snakes, without a thought, proceeded to chase after her, only to be sucked into the darkness of oblivion. Miroku replaced the beads around his hand.

"It's over," he announced.

Kagome felt Inuyasha's silent sigh as he withdrew his hand from her waist. She shivered as she felt a cool wind where his warmth once was.

The four of them turned when a loud cheer escalated from the castle. The guards and servants were shouting their applause from their places stationed around the building. The retainer from before ran up to them and bowed deeply.

"Thank you so much, my friends! If you would just wait here, my Lord, himself, wants to come out to thank you."

"The Lord, _himself_, huh? He finally comes out when the danger is over…" muttered Inuyasha.

"As is expected Inuyasha," stated Miroku factually.

Kagome suddenly stiffened. "I sense a shikon fragment coming from the castle…"

"What?" said Inuyasha.

"My Lord!" cried the retainer, throwing himself to the ground, as a figure stepped down the main stairs from the building.

"Now, now, please do not put yourself on the ground like that. I'm not used to it," smiled the young Lord.

Kagome caught her breath when she saw him. His rich brown eyes surveyed the four strangers in front of him. His gaze landed on the young girl whose eyes widened at him.

Inuyasha squinted at the young man. _'Isn't that…?'_

"Kagome," smiled the Lord brightly.

Kagome gaped at him. It really was…

"Hojo…"

A/N: Thank you **PunkLover** and **HeidiBax**! I really appreciate your reviews! :D And thanks to everyone reading!

xx GoldenDust


	5. The Feudal Lord

Chapter 4- The Feudal Lord

"Kagome…" whispered Hojo. He and the three girls looked at the battered school doorway in silent shock.

He didn't know what had just happened. He had finally worked up the courage to ask Kagome out again when suddenly some strange foreign guy had burst open the doors wearing traditional feudal clothes and a bandana on his head. The look on his face was truly frightening. Hojo had never seen yellow eyes like that before. And he could hear something, almost as if he was growling. He had looked… wild.

Then Kagome had whispered his name.

"Inuyasha…"

Hojo realised with a start that_ this_ was the guy Yuka, Eri and Ayumi had told him about earlier. They had told him Kagome's heart was confused by a two-timing, selfish, violent guy and they wanted a nice, responsible man like Hojo to ask her out and set her head straight.

At first, the idea of Kagome with someone like that didn't seem possible to Hojo. He imagined he was just some guy who was a play boy and perhaps Kagome's friends were over reacting because they cared about her so much. Kagome wasn't the type to be played by the dangerous type, surely! She was smart and sensible and kind and pretty… But then… _this_ guy?

When Kagome had started to leave, Hojo reached out to touch her shoulder, hoping to delay her from being alone with the threatening man. Of course, it had ended up with his wrist being badly bruised just from the guy squeezing it! Kagome and that guy had then left, leaving him speechless. Ayumi had then said something like Inuyasha had been nice to them when they met and that he seemed to really care for Kagome, but Hojo just couldn't stop a tight sensation in his chest. He didn't know why, but there was something about that guy…

A glint of purple-pink light had then caught his eye. Looking down he saw a beautiful shard of glass, the rich colour of magenta, glistening in the afternoon light. Hadn't he seen something like that around Kagome's neck before?

Noticing the group of girls were still crowded around each other having a heated discussion about the 'Inuyasha' guy, he bent down to pick the shard up. Saying a quick goodbye to the girls, he jogged through the doors, heading in the direction of Kagome's house. He may have ran into that Inuyasha, but it was only to return something to Kagome. Was she really alright to be alone with him…?

He lost his train of thought when he almost tripped over large, cracked indentation in the cement footpath. Something must have hit it with incredible force to create a crack that big… Hojo's head sprung up when he heard a familiar voice.

"SIT!!!"

WHUMP!

"FUCK!"

Hojo ran to the end of the street and cautiously looked around the corner. Kagome was standing over the 'Inuyasha' guy shouting at him while he lay in a crater, flat on his stomach. Hojo didn't quite hear all of the conversation, but his ears had picked up when she said his name.

She was standing up for him!

When Inuyasha stood up and yelled back saying how stupid she was being, she screamed 'SIT!' again. Hojo stared in shock when he saw the beads around Inuyasha's neck glow and drag him to the ground in a loud CRACK.

This…what was this? How did Kagome do that? It wasn't like Inuyasha was falling on purpose every time she said 'sit'. The Inuyasha guy was still cursing at her as she walked away.

Hojo had by now completely forgotten his initial purpose for finding them and watched silently from a distance as Inuyasha managed to stand up again and follow after Kagome. The 'sitting' occurred again and again as they walked the long distance to the Higurashi shrine. Each time Inuyasha said something thoughtless, Kagome's face would distort into a frighteningly angry face and she would send him straight to the ground.

Despite her terrifying face, Hojo couldn't help but think her anger beautiful… in a scary sort of way. He especially liked the way her lips pouted. Hojo's face flushed red. He really _did_ like her. He liked her A LOT.

Hojo hid behind a telephone booth when they neared the shrine and watched Kagome sit Inuyasha a couple times more.

"I'm going to pack! You better be at the well in five minutes!!" she yelled loud enough for him to hear. '_The Well_?' Did she mean the well at the back of her house? What were they going to do there?

He watched as Kagome's little brother came home and talked to the flattened Inuyasha until the latter could move again. The young man watched as the two disappeared above the stairs before beginning to walk forward. He was about to cross the street and enter the shrine when, what must have been, Kagome's grandfather came out and began to sweep the stairs. Hojo froze and quickly darted behind the telephone booth, panting, clasping the shard in his hand. His face flushed red once again.

What was he doing? He was just here to return the piece of pink glass to Kagome, that's all. He didn't need to hide! And yet, he wanted to return it to her in person and find out what was going on with that Inuyasha guy. Another thought caused Hojo's eyes to widen. Perhaps confronting her would just give her more problems with that guy?

Hojo wrestled with his thoughts until Kagome's grandfather had returned inside for a tea break. Hojo took a deep breath. It was now or never. He quickly ran across the street, up the stairs and crouched down. Keeping his eyes on the windows of the house he walked low to the ground, keeping behind trees, bicycles and other objects that would hide him from view. He finally made it to the well house, took a deep breath and slid open the door.

"Kagome-san…" his voice trailed off. He looked around the empty room. Hojo let out his breath. They were already gone. He shouldn't have hesitated.

He was about to turn and leave when he noticed the pink piece of glass glowing in his hand. Slowly, Hojo raised his head to look at the well in the middle of the hut. He was sure he could feel a breeze coming from inside it…

He took a step down the wooden stairs and looked in surprise at the shard glowing brighter. It continued to gain radiance until he stopped directly in front of the wooden structure. Cautiously he peered over the side of the well.

"Kagome-san?" he called. He could definitely feel the cool wind float up from inside the well now. Hojo looked down again at the hot, glowing shard in his hand. His mouth formed a straight line. _'No more hesitations'_ he thought determinedly as he swung his legs over the side and jumped.

*****

"…and so that's how I ended up here," finished Hojo brightly.

He smiled as he looked around at his guests. They had hardly touched the remainders of their food while he told his story. Kagome still stared at him with wide eyes.

Inuyasha, however, was still glaring suspiciously at the strange Lord.

After the battle, Hojo had invited them to stay the night and dine with him. Wanting to know what the heck was going on, most of the group had agreed eagerly, much to Inuyasha's frustration. He still didn't like this Hojo guy and now that he was in the Feudal era (god knows how), Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to throw Kagome on his back and take off with Sango, Miroku and Kirara trailing behind. But they had stayed and listened.

Kagome sat opposite from Hojo, across the room with Shippou seated on her right. Miroku and Sango sat quietly, their backs facing the sliding doors that opened to the courtyard while Inuyasha had made sure to sit between Kagome and Hojo, in hope of accentuating the distance between the two. They had all sat in a circle to face each other, creating a cosy mood for such an elaborate room. Tatami mats covered every inch of the floor and beautiful scrolls of golden parchment decorated the walls.

But Inuyasha wasn't one for admiring rooms. He kept his eyes firmly on Hojo throughout his entire story trying to work out what it was he didn't like about the human. Surely it wasn't just his jealousy…?

"So, that shard of glass…" Kagome began, breaking the short silence. Hojo smiled in response, put his hand inside his grand robes and took out the magenta shard.

"A shikon fragment!" exclaimed Sango. There was no need for Kagome to tell them it was genuine.

Kagome took out the little glass jar that hung around her neck for everyone to see. There was definitely a shard missing.

"But… how did I drop it in the future and not notice? I can usually sense them," pondered Kagome out loud.

"Perhaps it was because you were so preoccupied with… other things," said Hojo, his eyes flickering in Inuyasha's direction. Inuyasha swallowed a growl.

"You were very angry, after school that day," continued Hojo. "I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't notice anything else around you."

"That's true," joked Miroku. "We all know how Kagome gets when she's mad!"

"Eh?! How do I get?"

"You know. Whenever you get really angry at Inuyasha, you sit him repeatedly and don't stop even when we try to call out to you," answered Sango.

"Eh?!! I don't, do I?" squealed Kagome, covering her flaming cheeks with her hands. Hojo, Sango and Miroku laughed.

"Yeah, but Inuyasha deserves it, usually," said Shippou as if it was a fact. Inuyasha's fist slammed down on the kitsune's head.

"What the heck was that for?" shouted Shippou clutching the bump on his skull.

"What do you think?" said Inuyasha as he sat down in his spot again, legs crossed, tessaiga at the ready. Kagome smiled, awkwardly embarrassed.

"Well, I give this to you, Kagome-san," said Hojo, passing the shard to her. Again, Inuyasha had to bite back on his tongue when he saw Hojo's finger's brush hers a little too long during the exchange. "I'm just glad I was able to keep my promise and return it to you," Hojo beamed.

"You still didn't tell us everything," said Inyasha, his arms crossed above his chest. "How is it a lowly human like you becomes a Feudal Lord?"

"Inuyasha!" scolded Kagome in a quiet voice.

"Yes, I was wondering that myself," said Miroku.

"Are you that heavenly being?" piped up Shippou excitedly.

"No, I'm afraid not. Well, they are just rumours. You see, when I came out of the well on this side, I had no idea where I was." Hojo gave a sad smile. "I began walking around and before I knew it I got lost. I can't remember how long I walked for, but I was then attacked by a monster. It was huge and blue coloured…"

"Probably an oni," interrupted Sango. "There are quite a few roaming around in the mountainous areas of this prefecture."

Hojo nodded in confirmation. "Yes, that was what I was told later. Anyway, I must have been knocked out because the next thing I know, I wake up in front of this castle. The people here were kind enough to look after me."

Hojo paused.

"Also, a few weeks ago, the Lord of this castle died leaving no heirs. Apparently we both had similar eyes and so someone started saying how I might be the Lord's reincarnation, a being from the heavens sent down to take the Lord's place again."

Hojo shook his head smiling slightly at the thought. "I denied it, but I guess from my strange clothes and the fact I was educated, they somehow mistook me for someone with divine power. So here I am now. A Feudal Lord. It seems so much like a dream…"

Kagome nodded in agreement. "Yes, it does. I would never imagine Hojo-kun to come through the well. No one else aside from Inuyasha and me has ever been able to get through."

"Is that so? I must be very special too, then," laughed Hojo. Inuyasha continued to stare at the human. There was something about his laugh he didn't like.

"So I'm guessing that the well was the real reason for all your absences, Kagome-san," said Hojo politely.

"Y-yes," stammered Kagome. "You see, a while ago, our cat Buyo went missing and…"

Kagome proceeded to tell Hojo the rest of the story. How she fell down the well, how she met Inuyasha, how the rosary around Inuyasha's neck drags him to the ground whenever Kagome says sit (explaining what Hojo saw when he followed them home). The others even joined in telling their stories, how each was linked to Naraku and how they were searching for the shattered pieces of the Shikon no Tama before their nemesis got them.

"I'm sorry," said Kagome at the end. "But it's not like I could tell anyone about it. No one would believe it. I guess all your gifts for my health were for nothing…" said Kagome apologetically.

Inuyasha's ears pricked up. How many fucking gifts had he been giving her?

"Not at all," said Hojo cheerfully waving away her apology. "I'm just glad you aren't as sick as I thought you were. Your grandfather once told the school you had purple spots covering your tongue."

Kagome let out a giggle. "Oh, geez, and everyone believed him?"

"My goodness, Kagome-sama!" laughed Miroku. "You must be the sickest girl in the future!"

"Haha! That reminds me of what happened to Takayama sensei, when she turned up late to school last year," said Hojo.

Kagome's eyes lit up and she broke into a wide smile. "Ah, that's right! We were in the same class then, as well, weren't we? She came in one day and complained how Haruka-san was always sick…"

Kagome continued to chat animatedly with Hojo as they recounted the event.

Inuyasha felt a burning, hot feeling twisting in his gut as he watched Kagome's face brighten while she talked. How close was Kagome to that fucking Hojo? She was smiling so happily as they laughed together.

He watched as she turned to Sango and Miroku while she continued the story. _'At least she isn't smiling at that freak anymore'_ thought Inuyasha as he glared back in Hojo's direction.

He froze.

For a split second Hojo's expression had darkened as he continued to watch Kagome. His eyes flickered as a sinister smile flashed upon his lips. But it was over in half a second and his genuine smile returned as the group burst into laughter at the punch line.

While the excited chatter continued, Hojo turned his head ever so slightly to look Inuyasha squarely in the face. Inuyasha's eyes blazed in fury while Hojo remained smiling at him, the dark expression flickering to the surface again. The hanyou's heart thumped with rage. That look reminded him of someone…

"Well, it is getting quite dark outside," said Hojo cheerfully, breaking the eye contact with the glowering Inuyasha. "I suppose you would all want to be taken to your room so you can rest after a day of hard work."

"Um… Hojo-kun," began Kagome hesitantly. "I still need to talk to you about something."

Hojo smiled and got to his feet. "It can wait until later, Kagome-san," he assured. "Perhaps you should get comfortable, and relax before we talk. I'll call someone to take you to the bathing rooms once you've all settled in, shall I?"

Kagome's eyes lit up again. "A bath! Thank you, Hojo-kun!"

After saying a temporary goodbye to the young Lord, they were lead out of the room by a maid and followed her down the many corridors of the castle. While Kagome and Sango chattered about having a bath in a Feudal Lord's palace, Inuyasha's mind drifted back to the silent exchange between Hojo and himself.

The way he had looked at Kagome… it was with dark, despicable desire. Inuyasha's mouth twitched. So that's why he didn't like this Hojo guy. It wasn't _just_ jealousy (although he had a hell of a lot of that). It was because this bastard was a threat to Kagome. And then he had the fucking nerve to turn and sneer at him! And that look…

He was fucking taunting him!

His mocking grin was a challenge. A challenge for Kagome. Inuyasha's fists tightened. Not only that, it was like he gave a silent promise, a promise to take her from under his nose. Fine, but there was no way in hell he was giving her up to this fucking human. There was no way he was good enough for her.

Inuyasha looked out at the night sky as they passed an open shouji screen door. He silently thanked whoever it was that it was only a half moon.

He wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

A/N: Oooh, the story is finally starting to pick up a little, thank goodness! Big thanks to **HeidiBax** for your encouragement!

Hope you enjoyed it! (Let me know!) And I don't own Inuyasha!

GoldenDust


	6. Approaching Darkness

Okay. I lost a few readers at the end of this chapter on my other account, but if the ending of this chapter makes you sceptical, please stick with the story for a little longer! The next chapter reveals everything.

Thank you **HeidiBax**!

I don't own Inuyasha!

Chapter 5- Approaching Darkness

The moon was well up in the middle of the sky when Kagome and Sango returned to their room. They were happily talking about the amazing coincidences of fate, having met Hojo five hundred years in the past as a_ lord_, no less. Both were thoroughly relaxed. Their bath had gone relatively smoothly, despite a few interruptions.

Inuyasha had at first attempted to follow Kagome to the baths, saying he would keep watch from outside. The young woman had instantly refused, assuring him that there was no danger anymore, especially after Miroku had sucked up all the youkai. The hanyou had then mumbled something about Hojo when he stubbornly persisted to follow her. Growing impatient and aching for a bath, she had sat him three times before running away, screaming over her shoulder if he followed, she would sit him to the other side of the planet.

Kagome squealed in delight when she saw the size of the bath. Steam billowed from the wide, deep pool which was lined with beautifully smoothed stones that glistened in the flickering light of the torches. The bath would have been open to the night sky if it were not for a wooden pagoda that kept the warmth in. High walls of timber enclosed around the pool, just being low enough to let in the soft streaming light of the moon. Kagome couldn't help but feel like royalty.

Shippou had joined them, along with Kirara and being the excited little thing he was, he dived straight in with a large splash. Kagome had just begun fussing over washing the kitsune's tail, when Sango had felt a sting on her neck. Slapping it and looking down at her hand, the girls were less than ecstatic to find a very squashed and guilty looking Myouga, who had returned late after fleeing the battle earlier (despite Kagome's warnings of escaping).

After being bashed repeatedly with Sango's hiraikotsu (which she had conveniently brought along) and stepped on a few times by Kagome, they had let the awfully flattened flea waddle away to the exit. The peace, however, didn't last with Sango spying a purple robe and Buddhist-like staff shift behind a crack in the wooden walls.

By the time she was done with him, Miroku was clutching his head in pain whining _"Inuyasha made me do it! Inuyasha!"_ Kagome, Shippou and Kirara, meanwhile had continued enjoying the bath while listening to the monk's girlish shrieks.

When they had got out, they slipped on beautiful, thick, white cotton yukatas before a maid came to Kagome, telling her the Lord requested an audience with her. Kagome, glad she would be able to tell Hojo the chaos his disappearance caused in the future, walked quickly back with the others to drop off her shampoo.

'_Poor Inuyasha'_ thought Kagome as they neared one of their rooms. _'I hope he wasn't too upset when I told him off. I bet he's off somewhere sulking in a tree…'_ Kagome hit the floor in shock when she saw a brooding half-dog demon sitting cross legged on her futon.

"Inuyasha, your room is across the hall with Miroku!" screeched Kagome.

"I'm staying here tonight," said Inuyasha, his face remaining unchanged. Kagome and Sango stared blankly at him.

"Why?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "It's safer."

Sango, with a bored expression on her face, turned to Kagome. "Do you want to get rid of him, or do you want me to?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. Inuyasha kept staring at her as she walked towards her bag in the corner of the room.

"Inuyasha, we finally get enough space for two rooms instead of being cramped in one. Why don't you take it while you've got it?"

"Yeah, and won't Miroku get lonely?" said Shippou as he snuggled down next to Kirara on Sango's pillow.

"Who gives a damn about him? He can take care of himself," groused Inuyasha.

Kagome laughed scornfully and winked at her demon-slayer friend. "Ha! I wouldn't be so sure, after the way Sango-chan dealt with him."

Sango sat down and blushed. "I didn't hit him that hard..."

"Really, he's not getting any better!" said Shippou, shaking his head. "You'd think with all his practice he wouldn't get caught."

"And the way he said Inuyasha made him do it!" said Kagome, her face flushing with anger as she continued shoving things into her bag. "You'd think he could have at least come up with something more believable! As if Inuyasha would do that!"

"I did."

Kagome's hands stopped. She looked at him. "What was that?"

"I sent the monk to keep an eye on you." Inuyasha said simply. "It's not like I had to ask the pervert twice or anything."

Kagome's mouth gaped open. "Why would you do that?"

Inuyasha looked at her out of the corner of his eye and keh'd. "A pervert's better than no protection at all."

"That's just as bad you know!" She shouted as she threw down the shampoo bottle in rage. Inuyasha winced when she screamed but turned to raise his chin defiantly at her. "What if danger came? How were you supposed to defend yourself?"

"Miroku _is_ the biggest danger in this castle!!" she yelled.

Inuyasha turned away and grumbled to himself, too softly for Kagome to make out the words. She took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Fine, you've got until when I come back to be out of this room!" she announced as she zipped up her bag. Inuyasha's eyes flickered.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I have to talk to Hojo tonight and get him to go back to the future. Right now he's waiting for me, so-"

In a split second she was backed into the corner with a furious hanyou glaring down at her, his hands clenched in fists at his sides.

"You're not going," he said in a dangerously low voice.

Kagome's eyes locked onto his shadowed face as he towered over her. His golden irises were burning into her, making her stomach churn in nervous excitement. Oh God, it was "The Look'! His dangerous gaze continued its assault on her. She felt her knees begin to tremble.

He was so…

Kagome blushed when the thought sprung into her mind.

…sexy.

Realising she had been silent for too long, she reluctantly broke eye contact and squeezed passed his body, brushing so slightly against his warm chest.

"I'm going and that's that! Take care of Shippou for me, Sango-chan!" called Kagome as she stormed out of the room and down the hallway. Inuyasha followed after her, hot on her heels.

Sango, Shippou and Kirara, who had sat silently while all this was going on, merely looked at each other and sighed.

"Kagome! You're not going!" repeated Inuyasha as he matched her brisk walk. She rounded on him.

"What the heck has gotten into you tonight? You won't leave me alone for a second!"

"W- well, I," he stuttered. He looked away grumbling, his cheeks pink. "I said I'd protect you, didn't I?"

Kagome felt a stab of guilt. _'He's only trying to keep his promise…'_ She smiled to herself. He was so simple minded. But that was one of the things she loved about him.

"Thank you Inuyasha" she said softly.

A dumb, confused expression grew on his face. "Wha-?"

"But, you know, you don't have to protect me. The danger is over. I'm just going to have a talk to Hojo before bed. And Hojo is completely harmless! You know that!"

Inuyasha's mouth twitched.

"Fine, then I'm coming with you," he said as he crossed his arms.

"Inuyasha! No-!" she protested.

"Kagome!" He cried in exasperation as he grabbed her shoulders tightly. Kagome jumped in shock.

His eyes were begging. Pleading with her not to go alone. Kagome swallowed a lump in her throat. He almost looked a little scared…

"Ok."

*****

Inuyasha sighed in relief. Thank god, she had finally accepted. She was so goddamned stubborn sometimes. He released her tiny shoulders and they began walking to the Lord's chambers in silence.

After dinner, Inuyasha made himself a promise. No matter how scary Kagome got or how many times she sat him, he would not let her out of his sight for the rest of the time they were at the castle. He had to protect her from whatever Hojo had planned. There was just something about him… And Kagome was way too good natured to even notice! Besides, it wasn't like he could tell her that her classmate was planning something to take her away. She would just get mad and stick up for the little bastard again.

Inuyasha clicked his nails in annoyance when he remembered something he wanted to ask: a question nagging at the back of his head.

"Why didn't you tell me he was missing?" he said, trying to keep the envious tone out of his voice. He felt Kagome stiffen.

"I tried this afternoon, but you were SO eager to get to the castle, you left as soon as you were sure I was back!" she sniffed.

Inuyasha cringed. That was what she was about to say when he took off! The only day she's back early and she had to catch him during 'that'! While cursing his attraction to Kagome, they stopped in front of the lord's chambers. Inuyasha looked up and down the porch and across the gardens. It was deserted.

Kagome rapped her knuckles against the shouji screen.

"Come in!" answered Hojo's voice. Kagome turned to Inuyasha and frowned.

"Be nice," she warned. He looked at her as if she was stupid.

"No promises," he huffed.

Kagome let out a frustrated sigh and slid open the door.

*****

Sango finished getting back into her taijiya body suit and looked over to Shippou and Kirara who had dozed off on her pillow. She chuckled to herself and thought back to the confrontation between her two close friends.

'_Honestly!'_ she thought with a smile. _'Those two will never get anywhere if one of them doesn't admit the attraction they share.'_

Sango blushed and looked in the direction of the hallway. Houshi-sama's room would be just a few paces down…

'_Not that I can talk._' She looked away ashamed. She was just beginning to put on her kimono when she heard a rustle outside. Sango's eyes narrowed at the screen leading to the courtyard on the other side of the room. Could the youkai have returned? In silence, she reached for her weapon, thrust open the door and kneed the culprit in the throat, forcing them down into the garden bed.

"Why are you spying-" she hissed threateningly, but broke off.

"Houshi-sama?"

Miroku was clutching her knee as it dug into his windpipe.

"S- Sango…what a pleasant surprise…" he grinned while gasping for air. Sango glared at him beneath her.

"Houshi-sama! Two attempts in one night?! You haven't tried that in ages! Didn't you see enough at the onsen?"

"I… wasn't spying on you…Sango. I-if you'll… just remove your knee… I can explain..."

"It's true, Sango-sama!" squeaked a small voice.

"Myouga-sama…" started Sango looking down at the flea youkai hopping up and down on Miroku's head.

"Please release him, Sango-sama!" cried the flea. "I fear he is losing oxygen!"

Miroku's grin widened. "It's alright Myouga… I don't exactly mind the position we're in…" he wheezed as his hand began to rub her behind.

Three seconds later, Miroku sat nursing a large lump on his head while Sango panted fiercely embarrassed, clutching her chest.

"Now Sango," said the monk as he pulled a twig out of his hair. "I wasn't spying. I was merely checking the perimeter. It's imperative you understand that."

Sango looked at him sideways, her breathing slowing. "Checking the perimeter?"

"Indeed." He looked out over the castle grounds barely visible in the moonlight. "Don't you find it strange there are no guards around the castle?"

Sango's eyes widened and she quickly surveyed the courtyard. Sure enough, there were no guards, no retainers, no servants… it was so quiet, there weren't even any crickets chirping.

"When I left you ladies to the bath I went in search of some…ahem… sustenance," coughed the flea. "It was then I noticed the lack of humans and alerted Miroku-sama."

"Where is Kagome-sama?" asked Miroku keeping his eyes on the silent grounds.

"With Inuyasha," whispered Sango.

"Good."

He got up and started walking along the wooden porch. "Let's check out the servant's rooms."

He stopped.

"Myouga, you've already ran away to Shippou and Kirara's room, haven't you?" said Miroku blankly staring ahead.

"Why! I just thought I should keep an eye on the young ones in case I need to wake them up!" cried an outraged voice from inside the room.

Miroku shook his head and turned to the taijiya. "Let's go."

Sango nodded and followed after him.

They walked around the side of the buildings, looking down hallways as they passed. Both pairs of eyes darted from side to side, keen not to miss any movement. The only sounds were the soft tread of their feet as they came closer to the servant quarters.

"Excuse me," called Miroku as he knocked on the wooden door. "We are in need of assistance."

The silence dragged on.

"Very well."

With that he kicked open the door, causing it to break in two. They both gasped in shock when their eyes fell on a body slumped on the ground.

"Ma'am?!" cried Miroku as he knelt down to her side and turned her over. Sango recoiled when she saw her face. It was the same maid that had told Kagome the Lord had wanted to see her earlier. She had been quite fair before, but now… her eyes were rolled into the back of her head, her face had turned a mottled yellow and her mouth hung gaping.

"Who could have done this?" whispered Sango angrily. She looked around and her face paled.

"Oh, Houshi-sama… look…"

All over the large room, the servants and guards lay crumpled on the ground, the same expression on their faces.

"What on earth is this…?" wondered Miroku in disgust.

Suddenly, the maid began to convulse. They watch in horror as a slippery, green blotched slug crawled out of her mouth. In a second it looked up at them and pulled back a flap around its lips, exposing writhing, blood red appendages.

"Sango! GET DOWN!!" shouted Miroku as the snake-like creature launched at them.

*****

"Thank you for agreeing to talk to me, Hojo-kun," said Kagome as she kneeled in front of him. The room flickered in healthy bright light due to the several fires on top of tall gold stands reflecting light off the ceiling. Kagome had thought Hojo's room was quite extravagant with the beautiful displays of swords, scrolls and ikebana flower arrangements.

But right now Kagome was trying desperately not to fidget as Inuyasha sat with his knee pressed against her hip. She hadn't expected him to be so protective that he didn't allow even an inch of space between them. And now he was so close… She was very happy he had decided to initiate the contact himself, but her annoyance overpowered her joy. Hojo was nothing more than a friend! He had never touched her like Kouga had and yet her favourite hanyou seemed to be more emotional when this particular classmate was just hanging around! She was beginning to get tired of it…

Hojo smiled at her. "Of course, Kagome-san. I guess we just didn't have enough time at dinner to discuss important matters."

Hojo removed a hand from his lap to scratch the back of his neck, looking embarrassed. "I suppose you wanted to ask me not to tell anyone about this in the future. But don't worry; you didn't even need to ask. I was going to keep it to myself anyway."

"Hojo-kun…" whispered Kagome, lightly smiling. Hojo was so kind.

Inuyasha sniffed. He hated the idea of owing something to the human.

"Thank you. There was also something else I wanted to talk about with you…" the girl began.

Hojo's face playfully frowned in interest as he leaned in to listen.

"Hojo-kun… you've been missing for over a week. Everyone in the future misses you. There are memorials at school, the police have been sticking your face up all over the district, everything has gone into chaos since you left…"

Hojo chuckled lightly. "You want me to return home with you, Kagome-san?"

Kagome looked up surprised. _'So he was expecting this… so why hasn't he tried to return home earlier?'_

"Thank you for your thoughts, Kagome-san," said Hojo. "But… I think I'll stay here."

Kagome's and Inuyasha's eyes bulged.

"What?!" they said simultaneously.

"Hojo-kun…why?! People at home love you…"

"I understand that," said Hojo calmly. "But… how should I put it? I've always felt… out of place there."

Kagome stared.

"It's not that I wasn't happy!" stressed Hojo frantically. "It's just…" He looked away from them. "Since I've been here I feel so _alive_. Everyday, I feel excitedabout_ what I'm going to do next…_"

Kagome could feel a low rumble vibrating through her from Inuyasha's body. She shivered. She thought she felt the room turn slightly cold at his words, but instantly forgot about the temperature when he turned to her and smiled genuinely.

"I've been given this amazing chance to be a _lord_, Kagome-san! Think of what good I can do for Feudal Japan! I know the history, so I won't interfere in any major way and I get to do something great! I can look after my people! I feel like I truly belong here!"

Kagome was at a loss for words. "But, your family thinks you're dead…"

Hojo looked down, slightly pained. "Then perhaps that is for the best. I would rather them think that than make them feel betrayed by me."

He looked up at her, his eyes sparkling. "Thank you for your concern, Kagome-san. But I've thought long and hard since I came here and I know that now I am truly happy."

Kagome looked at him hesitantly for a second then nodded her head and smiled. This was his decision.

Inuyasha suddenly stiffened.

"Snake youkai," he growled as he leapt to the screen on their left and thrust it open. "From before. They're in the fucking castle!"

"What?" exclaimed Hojo. "Why didn't the guards alert us?!"

Inuyasha turned to look at him. "'Cause, there ain't no guards."

"INUYASHA!!!"

They all looked up to see Mioku and Sango running towards them through the castle grounds.

"The snake youkai!" cried the monk. "The castle servants have become their breeding ground!!"

As they came closer, hundreds of the small snakes with the red oral tentacles slid around the side of the furthest building and stampeded after them.

"Fuck!" Inuyasha cursed. "Stay in here Kagome!" he shouted as he slid the shouji screen shut behind him. In a flash, he whipped out tessaiga and leapt towards his companions.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" screamed Sango as she turned and threw her boomerang, decimating the front of the pack.

"Get out of the way!!" shouted Inuyasha. Sango and Miroku dived to the sides as he brought down the giant fang in one strike.

"KAZE NO KIZU!!!"

Bursts of light dug into the ground, ripping the snakes into pieces. But almost immediately after the attack was over, another round of snakes came slithering from behind the buildings.

"There's too many!" cried Sango. "We can't keep cutting them; it'll get us no where!"

"Miroku!" yelled Inuyasha. "Can you use your hand?!"

"I'm already on it!" shouted Miroku as he reached for the beads.

Suddenly a loud buzzing filled the sky. Hundreds of sickly-yellow wasps came flying above the castle, watching the three fighters eagerly.

"Saimyoushou!!"

Inuyasha gaped in confusion. "Naraku's insects?!!"

"Shit!" cursed Miroku as he re-wrapped the beads around his fist. "Naraku… he planned this! We've fallen into another trap!!"

*****

Inuyasha had slid the screen closed and raced off to the battle before Kagome could say anything.

She leapt to her feet and headed towards the door. _'If the snake youkai couldn't be destroyed before with just swords, they'll need some sort of back up!'_

"Hojo-kun! Stay here!" she called over her shoulder. "I'm going to get some arrows from my room!"

She had just begun pulling back on the screen when a hand from behind slammed it shut again.

"I think it would be best if you stayed here, Kagome…" a dark voice whispered in her ear.

Kagome felt a cold mist chilling down her spine. Whatever happened to Kagome_-san_? Whatever happened to Hojo's warm voice? Half afraid to turn around she swallowed nervously and tried to keep her voice level.

"Hojo-kun..?"

He grabbed her wrist and threw her away from the door, landing with a loud THUD. Kagome gasped as she recovered, clutching her side that had bared the brunt of the impact.

"Hojo-kun?!"

Hojo pulled out a strange looking fuda and slapped it on the screen. "So no _demons_ interrupt us," he explained looking straight at her.

Kagome shrunk back as he began to advance towards her. "Kagome… have you ever thought about being with a lord…?" he asked with a cold smile.

Kagome got to her feet and started backing away from him, her heart thumping frantically in her chest. "Hojo-kun, stop. What are you doing?"

He raised his eyebrows in amusement. "Why, Kagome, I haven't done anything… yet."

With that, he lunged at her, pinning her down to the mats with brute force. Kagome screamed and tried desperately to push him off. He trailed horrible wet kisses down her jaw to her collarbone as she continued to struggle.

"HOJO!!! STOP IT!!!"

*****

Inuyasha outside stopped in his tracks and turned to look back at Hojo's room.

He suddenly felt sick. Kagome was screaming!

"KAGOME!!"

He bolted back towards the building and jumped at the door. A sudden flash of light surrounded the room, repelling him. Inuyasha screamed in pain as he was sent flying back, skidding into the dirt. He looked at the screens in shock.

"A barrier?!"

*****

Kagome brought her knee straight up in between Hojo's legs in a sickening crunch.

While he was curled over in pain, she dove out from under him to the other side of the room. Adrenaline helping her, she grabbed onto the hilt of a sword displayed ceremoniously on the wall and pulled it out.

No sooner had she turned around then she was faced with Hojo standing only a few feet away. She jabbed at him threateningly while he raised his hands in defence.

"That's dangerous Kagome. Do you even know how to use it?" he mocked.

"Hojo-kun…" she muttered to herself. _'This isn't him… is it?' _Although she didn't know him that well, she was sure he would never do this! Kagome was getting angry. Yes, she had been attacked like this by that awful Mukotsu from the Band of Seven, but for some reason she was even more furious now.

"I don't want to have to hurt you, Kagome," Hojo spoke, the malice gleaming in his eyes. "You should just give yourself over to me. Inuyasha won't be coming for you."

Kagome grasped the sword in her sweaty hands and furrowed her brows. "Inuyasha _will_ come."

Hojo snickered. "I'd like to see him try to get through my personal fuda."

Kagome's eyes darted to the paper stuck to the screen on the other side of the room. It was letting off some sort of demonic power! If she could just get close to it, maybe she could purify it…

"KAGOME!! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" yelled Inuyasha's voice from the other side of the screen.

"INUYASHA!" cried Kagome in relief.

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! I'M GONNA GET YOU OUTTA THERE!!" he screamed.

"Hmph… foolish hanyou," muttered Hojo.

'_Now!'_ thought Kagome as she leapt away and ran to the fuda. Her arm was outstretched, nearly touching it when something caught her waist.

Trying to steady herself, she grabbed onto the pole of a nearby lantern, but was brought crashing to the ground with such force it left her winded. Her mind didn't have time to register the mats around her had caught fire when Hojo jumped on top of her again. Kagome felt a wave of terror when she felt his hands all over her body... pulling back her collar… reaching down to untie the knot of her yukata…

'_Inuyasha! Inuyasha! Inuyasha! Inuyasha! INUYASHA!!!!'_

The roof was suddenly ripped in two in an explosion as Inuyasha appeared above them, the tessaiga gleaming a brilliant red.

Kagome's throat constricted when she saw Inuyasha's face as his eyes rested on them. It was an expression of pure. horrifying. rage.

"How…? The barrier…?" stammered Hojo in shock.

"YOU BASTARD!!!" Inuyasha screamed as he landed and lunged at the lord. He grabbed Hojo by the throat and brought his head smashing into his. Kagome winced at the loud crack but couldn't stop watching.

Inuyasha almost looked crazed in the light of the fire, his eyes wide in furious hatred. Spinning around, the maddened hanyou threw the boy crashing into the screen on the other side of the room. Wasting no time, between attacks, he brought down his sword in a swift movement.

"_**KAZE NO KIZU!!!"**_

The blast completely annihilated the side of the room. As the dust settled, Kagome rose and stood hesitantly at Inuyasha's side. She gasped at the sight of destruction. The outside garden had been obliterated. Debris was scattered everywhere. Wooden poles lay sticking out of rocks. Tatami mats that survived lay in ruin, still blazing on fire. Bushes, bamboo and shouji screens lay wrecked all over the grounds while the smoke continued to hang thick.

"Inuyasha! Kagome!" cried Sango and Miroku as they came up behind them. They stopped, gaping at the scene. Inuyasha breathed heavily, trying to calm himself down. He sniffed the air.

"Dammit!" swore Inuyasha. "I fucking missed!"

As the smoke slowly started to clear they could just see a figure starting to stir beneath the rubble.

"Hojo-kun!" cried Kagome as she began to step forward.

Inuyasha grabbed her waist and pulled her to his chest in a vice grip. "Stay back, Kagome!!" he snarled.

Hojo slowly got to his feet, facing away from them.

"You should listen to him, Kagome…" he said chuckling in a low voice. "You never know what I might do to you…"

He stood up straight.

Kagome covered her mouth and screamed in shock. Inuyasha felt the blood drain from his face. His hand around Kagome's waist began to tremble in fury.

Hojo's robe was completely ripped apart, exposing his torso. The remnants of the grand material hung in tatters from the belt around his wait. Above this, spread across his back, was a burn mark glowing in the light of the fires. A mark of a huge spider.

Naraku's spider.

"Hojo-kun...?" whispered Kagome softly.

Hojo's back began to shake with quiet laughter. "Hojo?" He snickered. "The boy you call Hojo is no longer in control of his body. For my reincarnation, he's pathetically weak."

He turned to look at them, a wild grin on his face. "It's nice to see you all again. Especially _you_, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha made no sign of recognition and continued to stare furiously at the young man.

Hojo laughed. "You don't remember me?"

He turned and gave them a grand bow.

"I am Onigumo. It's a pleasure to be back."

A/N: …woah… O_o Did ya see that coming? Did ya? (Ok, I'm sure someone did :P) Anyway, please review if you enjoyed it. I adore your comments! If not, please at least wait for the next chapter and see what you think. :)

Till next time!

GoldenDust


	7. Return of the Spider

A/N: For those who don't know, _hebi_ is Japanese for "snake".

Huge thanks to **Gabriella6632** and **mangafool** for your reviews! I love you guys!

I don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 6- Return of the Spider

Hojo's conscious drifted in a sea of nothingness. He couldn't breathe, yet he didn't need to. He couldn't see. He couldn't hear. He couldn't feel.

What had happened?

That's right…

He had landed in the bottom of the well. The second he swung his legs over and jumped, he had felt the most amazing sensation. It was something holy… something ancient, powerful and warm. It sent tingles throughout his body. And then it had stopped when his feet touched the gravel at the bottom. He could feel the wind blowing again and looked up.

There was blue sky where the roof of the well house should have been…

Grabbing onto some vines, he pulled himself out and nearly passed out at the scenery before him. He was in the middle of a clearing. A clearing in what looked like the middle of a forest. In confusion, he had called out her name, _Kagome's_ name, in hope of her answering. When he was met with nothing but the wild bird calls of the woods, he began to wander. Not far. He made sure to keep the well in his sight. He made sure to remember which trees and rocks he passed so he could find his way back. But when he turned around, the well, the clearing wasn't there. Despite his efforts, he had gotten lost.

He had tried to find his way back, tried to retrace his steps, but it seemed he only went deeper into the forest. Then the night had come. But he still kept going, hoping to find the well again. And then… what had happened next…?

Yes, then he was attacked by some hideous monster with sickly blue skin and fangs dripping in saliva. The thing had swiped at his back, ripping his shirt to shreds. In desperation he ran. He was weak from hunger. Drained and fatigued. He thought he was going to die. And then…

He met That Man.

The Man with the long black hair and dark eyes that seemed to glow.

He had fallen at The Man's feet in exhaustion. He could feel the monster coming from behind. _Run!_ He had yelled at the man. _Get away from here! _The Man had simply stared down at him as the monster approached. Then something lashed out from The Man's back, completely severing the monster's head from its body. Everything went black. He must have fainted.

When he awoke again he was lying in a cave. At least it had seemed like one. Light from a small fire was flickering off the rocky walls. The Man was there. He spoke suddenly.

**What is your name?**

_I-I am Hojo… And you?_

The Man remained silent, his eyes glowing sinisterly. Hojo had cleared his throat nervously.

_Um, would you happen to know a girl called Kagome…?_

The man's eyes gleamed. **You are a friend of Kagome…**

_Yes! So you do know her?_

**Yes… **The Man smiled to himself. **I know her…**

Then The Man had asked all sorts of things. About his world. About his school. How he knew Kagome. He even asked about his birthmark on his back. It had been revealed from when his shirt was ripped apart by the monster. The Spider birthmark… Hojo had always hated it. Since he was born he had hated it. He had always kept it hidden away, ashamed.

**Do you believe in reincarnation, Hojo?**

He replied he hadn't ever thought about it, but had heard of it. The Man had smiled.

**You're about to see if it's real.**

The Man leaned over and pressed a finger to his head. Then darkness closed in.

There were now only flashes of reality that woke him from the dark prison of emptiness. The Man with the glowing eyes. Monster snakes with red tubes coming out of their mouths. Kagome's face smiling. The Inuyasha guy glaring. Kagome screaming his name in horror.

_Stop it. Stop it. Stop it._

He once again drifted unconscious.

*****

Inuyasha and Kagome stared from the remains of the room at the young man standing before them.

_I am Onigumo._

"No…" whispered Kagome as she desperately clutched Inuyasha's haori. "You can't… you can't be Hojo…"

The man with Hojo's face started laughing. "Didn't I just say that? Oh, Kagome, your horrified face is fantastic!" His eyes darkened with lust as the flickering orange light of the fires danced in shadows across his face. "Especially how your lips are hanging apart…"

Inuyasha snarled and pulled her tighter into his chest. Miroku and Sango, a few feet behind their comrades, crouched into their stances.

"You bastard," rumbled Inuyasha. "How did you get out? Naraku trying to get rid of you again?"

Hojo's face turned to look at Inuyasha with disdain. "Hm. Something like that. Mind you it's more beneficial for me than him. Well, that's my opinion at least."

"Onigumo…" murmured Miroku. "How is this possible?"

Onigumo ran a hand through his hair and sat down on a smooth boulder, smirking.

"How is it possible? Well, it's all possible thanks to my reincarnation."

Sango gripped her hiraikotsu with a sweaty hand. "That boy… Hojo… is your reincarnation?"

"What happened to Hojo-kun?!" cried Kagome. Inuyasha felt a small twinge of irritation in his chest, but ignored it.

Onigumo picked up a small mirror, a large crack down its middle, and began investigating the large bruise developing on his forehead. The remnants from Inuyasha's head butting. "Like I said before. He's no longer in control."

They watched as he recoiled from pressing too hard on the lump. "There you were Kagome, standing on top of the shrine stairs with your hands on your hips, sitting that jerk-off, Inuyasha. And Hojo was thinking to himself, how frighteningly pretty you look when you're angry."

Onigumo rested his eyes on her. "He was so determined to return the shard to you, he even crept into your shrine to find you. But he didn't find you, did he? Instead he found an empty well." He chuckled. "The Shikon no Tama is an amazing device to even allow time travel."

He looked up at the four of them, pleased with the attention his audience was giving. "So anyway, he's running from a mountain oni after walking for who knows how long and who should he run into but Naraku in the flesh. That's when I came in."

He flicked the mirror around in thought before throwing it to the far side of the rubble, shattering it to pieces. Snake youkai slithered into view from behind the bushes and rocks to leer at the four of them. The saimyoushou buzzed quietly in the sky above them. Inuyasha glanced at the creatures out of the corner of his eye before returning his attention to the young lord. Sango and Miroku turned to face the youkai standing stationary behind them.

"We're surrounded!" gritted Sango. Inuyasha could feel Kagome's hand tightening on his haori.

"Don't worry," said Onigumo, almost bored. "They won't attack unless they're told to."

The hanyou narrowed his eyes. "So you sent the youkai. I'll bet Naraku gave you a castle and youkai to control just for this. This was all planned!"

"Of course. The castle being under attack by my hebi-youkai was all part of the strategy to get you guys out here." He closed his eyes and dropped his head back enjoying a cool breeze that swept through the wreckage. "Ah, it's good to be alive again."

"What has happened to Hojo-kun, Onimgumo?!" asked Kagome bravely.

Hojo's eye cracked open a little to look at her. "There's only room for one controlling force in one mind."

"But doesn't Naraku need you as an anchor to hold all his youkai powers together? How did he get rid of you?" demanded Miroku.

Their nemesis frowned. "Hmph. It's not like I know everything. He and I still don't like each other, if you get what I mean." Onigumo lowered his eyes and grumbled. "If that Naraku bastard had told me about Inuyasha's ability to break barriers, I would have already got what I came for by now…"

"You're despicable!" spat Sango. "You wanted the Shikon shards and thought to attack Kagome-chan just because she was there?!"

"Stupid," said Onigumo looking at the demon slayer. "You've got it the wrong way around."

Kagome stared at him in confusion. Inuyasha stood rooted to the ground. His shoulders sagged as the young lord's words slowly sunk in.

"So all this…" he started shaking. "To get…"

Hojo's face grinned as he brought up his hand to casually scratch the back of his head. "Yeah, that's right. I figure, if I couldn't have Kikyou in the past, I should at least be entitled to her in another form."

"But I'm not Kikyou!" screamed Kagome.

"Either way, it doesn't matter," said Onigumo smiling coldly. "Why? Because I now have every thought of Hojo's in my head. I've seen his desires, why he likes you, what he thinks of you. Every memory, every thought he has had of you is now mine. In other words…"

He paused, looking her up and down slowly as he stood up. "The second I took over my reincarnation's body, I started wanting _you_, Kagome…"

Inuyasha's nostrils flared.

"DON'T EVEN FUCKING THINK ABOUT IT!!" He shouted as he pushed Kagome behind him and raised the tessaiga.

"KAZE NO KIZU!!"

He barely heard Kagome yell out his name as the blades of light dug into the ground towards his hated enemy. Suddenly streaks of green and red launched themselves from around the group to land in the wake of the attack. The wall of snake youkai were ripped to pieces whilst their master remained untouched behind them. Hojo's eyes gleamed.

"What…? They shielded him!" gaped Miroku.

"Hah!" sneered Inuyasha. "Despite you having a new body, you're still just a weak fucking human. The only thing you got going for you are those hebi youkai, and they were all just slashed to pieces!"

Onigumo glared at the exalted hanyou. "Yes, I don't have those youkai abilities like I did the last time I was released."

"And now, you ain't got anything else but those flying bugs to fight with!" grinned Inuyasha victoriously. He raised his sword above his head.

"Prepare to fucking die, Onigumo!"

"Inuyasha, NO!!"

He felt the fragile arms of Kagome wrap around his waist as she tried to hold him back. "You can't kill him! You can't hurt Hojo-kun's body! He's still in there!"

"Kagome! Let go!" he shouted. "Hojo is dead!"

"Actually, he's somewhere back here," said Onigumo pointing to the back of his head. "He's sealed away. Sleeping. So feel free to kill me, Inuyasha, if you're alright killing one of Kagome's dear friends."

Inuyasha glowered as his hands shook with the tessaiga over his head. His fangs dug into his lips, drawing blood. He wanted to kill him. Oh God, he wanted to murder the bastard. This man was the cause for everything horrible in his life and those around him. Why couldn't Kagome see this was for her own protection?! The blood trickled down his chin. But if that Hojo guy was still alive in there… If he wasn't such a bad guy like Kagome had said…

Would she ever forgive him?

"Please, Inuyasha…" begged Kagome into his back.

Seemingly satisfied with Inuyasha's inner torment, Onigumo snapped his fingers. The insects descended on him.

"Well, it's been fun, but I'll have to call it a night. Besides, I need to grow more of my army after that wonderful attack of yours, Inuyasha," he said as the bugs lifted him off the ground.

"Where're you running off to, coward?" yelled Inuyasha.

Onigumo sniffed. "I'm not being a coward. This is a necessary withdrawal. Considering I need to plan how to kill you, Inuyasha, when the next chance comes. Unfortunately I didn't get what I came for, so there's no need to tell you we'll be meeting again." His eyes darkened as they landed on the young girl clutching at the hanyou's side. "Especially you Kagome. I'm not about to let another woman I want get away."

"And don't worry!" he called over his shoulders as they flew off into the black of the night sky. "I'll take good care of Hojo-kun's body!"

*****

Kagome sat on a rock, her arm wrapped around her knees, as she watched the others dig the final grave.

She gazed at Inuyasha as he spaded more soil out of the grave. The pink morning sunlight seemed to glow off his silver white hair. She saw the occasional flash of his thick toned forearms come into view with every sway of his sleeves. His eyebrows were knotted together. He still looked angry from last night.

Kagome hugged her knees tighter. She had never seen Inuyasha look so angry. When he came tearing through the roof, his face was so distorted with murderous rage, she was half afraid of him turning into his youkai self. That was how livid he had looked.

Kagome tried to wipe the uncomfortable memory away. It wasn't because she was attacked (she surprisingly wasn't upset at all about that), but because of the position Inuyasha saw her in. Flat on her back with a man lying on top of her, trying to untie her clothes. At first she was frightened he wouldn't want to look at her again, but it seemed to have had the opposite effect, much to her relief.

She had changed back into her uniform as soon as she had returned to her room with Sango to made sure Shippou and Kirara were alright. She wasn't too surprised to see Myouga sticking his head warily out of Shippou's tail, arguing he was only making sure the child was safe in case the danger came to them. The five of them had returned to the remains of the silent grounds and saw the men had begun to dig graves for the dead soldiers and maids.

Kagome had offered to help fill in the holes of the deceased, but Inuyasha had refused, saying she shouldn't do anything too strenuous for her. She had frowned and said she would go look for some flowers instead to pay respect to them. The hanyou was even more against that, telling her he refused to let her out of his sight in case Onigumo attacked again. Highly doubting that, she had shrugged her shoulders in frustration and said she would head back to the castle to find some food. They had remained awake all night and with the soft light glowing from the horizon, she figured she should at least find them breakfast.

She had nearly sat her beloved idiot to kingdom come when he tried to stop her doing that. Luckily, Sango agreed to accompany Kagome, along with Kirara and Shippou to search the castle. Inuyasha had reluctantly agreed, finally. Kagome was relieved to find sacks upon sacks of rice and roasted seaweed in the storehouse around the back of the main building. They had all eaten ravenously around a small campfire as they took a break from the burying.

Now she watched quietly, exhausted from the lack of sleep and the events of the night, while the other three laid the last body in the hole. Kagome was replaying everything she learnt last night. She still couldn't believe that Hojo was the reincarnation of Onigumo. What were the chances of that? And now Hojo's body had become completely overtaken by the wild thief.

Hojo…

She always knew Hojo liked her. She had just never felt the same way. But did he really have those sorts of thoughts about her? Kagome frowned at herself. Of course, he didn't! Hojo was a good person. He had a crush on her, she knew that, but he would never have those evil thoughts about her. It was all Onigumo. She knew it was. Only Onigumo could think of something like that and then act upon it.

She looked up to see the others walking back to her while Miroku finished blessing the final grave. She stood up eagerly. It was time to be helpful!

"Would you guys like some tea? We found heaps of dried leaves in the storehouse."

"That sounds good, Kagome-chan," agreed Sango.

"Can we trust that stuff?" asked Inuyasha, eyeing off the packets of tea Kagome was preparing. "You don't know what that guy might have done to it."

"Sniff it and see," she suggested.

Inuyasha's face turned pink. "Why you-! I'm not a dog!!"

"Yeah, he's half dog," reminded Shippou as he sucked on his lollypop.

"Shaddup, runt!"

"I'm impressed we're all still this spirited in the morning," commented the monk as he sat down to join them.

"All this fuss over tea," sighed Sango.

"Miroku-sama, are you all done?" asked Kagome as she watched the water boil over the fire.

"Yes, everyone's been properly seen off to the otherworld," he answered. "But after we finish our tea, I think it would be best if we head off. The villagers from down the hill might be coming to see their lord soon."

"So," started Inuyasha. "What do you say we should do next?"

"First," said the monk. "I'd like to find out how Naraku has managed to sever Onigumo from his body."

"Perhaps he's found a new technique?" offered Shippou.

"Technique?" echoed Kagome.

"Well, remember how Naraku managed to find a way to separate his heart from his body at Mt Hakurei?" said Sango. "Maybe he's found a new technique to separate his soul as well. The baby, his heart and Onigumo, his soul."

Miroku shook his head and took the mug Kagome offered him. "Thank you Kagome-sama. No, I had thought of that, but I don't think so" he said. "That's what he tried before and it failed. Even with the Shikon no Tama, he couldn't do it. Muso -what Onigumo called himself then- had to be reabsorbed to prevent Naraku from falling apart."

"I have a theory," announced the little flea on Kagome's shoulder.

"What is it, Myouga Jii-chan?" asked Kagome.

"As far as we know, it's not like Naraku had to get rid of any pieces of flesh this time. It is possible he merely transferred the conscious of Onigumo into Hojo's body, while keeping Onigumo's soul inside his own."

"Transferred the conscious?" asked Shippou.

"Go on," encouraged Miroku.

The flea crossed both pairs of arms and looked down in thought. "There are two souls of Onigumo in this era. One in Hojo's body -the reincarnation- and one in Naraku's body -the original. Naraku must have been able to transfer the conscious –the mind- of Onigumo into Hojo's body while keeping the original soul to himself. Now Hojo's body, with Onigumo's reincarnated soul, has two consciouses; Hojo's and Onigumo's."

"So you're saying the two consciouses are surviving on one soul alone?" asked Sango.

"Not surviving," said Inuyasha, looking towards the direction Onigumo disappeared. "Did you hear what he said? Onigumo is the one controlling everything. That Hojo loser is too weak to fight back. He's been stored away. He ain't living at the moment."

Kagome looked miserably into her tea. How could this have happened? Poor Hojo. He got involved because of her! She swallowed a lump in her throat. No, Inuyasha will save him. They will all find a way to get Hojo back.

"So no wonder Onigumo knew everything about our past together," she said. "He has Hojo's mind."

"Yes," said Myouga gravely. "Onigumo has every thought, every memory of Hojo's. And now the two consciouses are fusing together. He wants what Hojo wants."

*****

__

What Hojo wants…

Inuyasha watched Kagome sling on her backpack. She was chatting away cheerfully to the little kit walking by her feet. Inuyasha lent back on the side of the castle gates and looked up. The sun was now high up in the morning sky. Hachi was transformed behind him and Sango was helping Miroku strap on extra sacks of rice they found in the storehouse.

"We _are_ sharing these with the villagers, aren't we Houshi-sama?"

"Of course, Sango! That was my intention all along!"

Of course, he wasn't paying any attention to the monk's and slayer's conversation. Inuyasha's mind was working in a blur as it churned over all the new information. So that's why he never liked that Hojo guy. He was Onigumo reincarnated! He was practically Naraku in another form! And now the real Onigumo was back and was after Kagome. Not because she was Kikyou, but because she was _Kagome_. Because that wussy little punk had those thoughts about her! That just made it all the more worse!

He thought his heart was going to burst in two when he saw the bastard on top of her. He had never felt any sort of rage like that. He wanted to rip the little fucker to shreds! He had a whirl of shocking images in his head the split second before he released the Cutting Wind. Images of him pulling the bastard apart with his bare claws, leaving only his head remaining so he could hear him scream until the end. He could almost feel his foot crushing the asshole's head under his heel and hear in the satisfying sound of his skull breaking. But he had held back for her. Mind you, he did try to hit the little shit with his Cutting Wind.

And the worst part of it all was… he had failed _her_. He knew there was something evil going on. Onigumo had practically told him that with that sneer at dinner. And the second he took his eyes off of her, she was put in danger! It was way too close for comfort.

Never again.

Kagome had arrived next to him and smiled. A smile he didn't deserve.

"Ready to go, Inuyasha?"

He flicked his head away. "Keh! Been ready for ages. Let's go!"

He lifted her up onto the yellow body of their transporter, enjoying the whiff of her scent in the wind. They watched solemnly at the castle disappearing among the green forest as they took to the sky. Inuyasha looked at the human girl beside him. His _home_. He clenched his fists and gazed back at the blue sky.

He would protect her.

Even if it cost him his life.

A/N: So the stage is set. I got heaps more ideas for this fic so let's enjoy the ride!

GoldenDust


	8. Strategies

**A/N:** Inuyasha is not mine… just in case you're wondering.

Chapter 7- Strategies

Naraku rested one arm on the wooden rail and stared out over the balcony. It was getting cooler. Even more so than was usually expected in the mountains. He looked from his castle, built into the mountain face, out through the valley to the green sea of forests in the distance. It was times like this, when he was up so high above the rest of the world that he felt truly superior. This was his place. Above all the filth that littered the earth below him. Far away from any who were unworthy of his presence.

Mind you, without the filth life would be quite boring.

He smirked to himself as the clouds rolled grey above the mountain peaks. Yes… playing, toying with the filth was… amusing? Entertaining? He couldn't think of the right word, but it was one of his pleasures; to mess with the minds of his enemies until they emotionally crack. Just before he would physically destroy them, of course. And he had the perfect new plan to do just that.

He couldn't believe his luck when his reincarnation, no, _Onigumo's_ reincarnation had stumbled in front of him, weak, battered and helpless. At first he couldn't work out why the human had the same burn mark of a spider on his back. That was the initial reason he kept him alive. Intrigue.

_Um… would you happen to know a girl called Kagome…?_

At that moment, Naraku had felt like chuckling to himself, a plan swirling around in his head. This was an opportunity too perfect to ignore. This was his way to get rid of the irritating human desires he had locked away, taking up space deep inside him. This was his chance to free himself from the binds of Onigumo. And free himself he did. Ironic, how petty human emotion was trapping someone as powerful as him.

And Naraku knew he would gain a new weapon from all of this. A powerful one in the form of Onigumo reawakened. It was clear straight away that Onigumo's selfish desires would be enough to begin the torture on Inuyasha and his friends. The wild thief reborn had agreed to work with the evil hanyou in return for satisfying his carnal needs; in the form of Inuyasha's new miko. Naraku was more than pleased with his new ally's enthusiasm, knowing full well that anything that happened to Kagome would greatly injure the half dog-demon as well. And Kagome, one of the only two people he feared, would in turn be tortured by her attacker bearing the face, the body, the _being_ of her dear friend. He also knew that she wouldn't be able to ask for Onigumo's death while he inhabited the body of someone she cared for. It was a perfectly flawless plan. He had them in a checkmate.

Naraku's thoughts were rudely interrupted when Onigumo slammed open the door.

"WHAT THE FUCK, NARAKU?!" he roared.

Naraku turned to look at the furious human boy whose robes were torn to shreds, hanging around his waist. It looked like he had been taken for a horrible shock. His face almost made Naraku start chuckling again. Yes… life would be very boring, indeed.

"You have returned, Onigumo" he stated. The boy's eyes flashed in anger.

"Damn you, Naraku!" he said as he stalked towards him. "Why didn't you tell me the hanyou bastard could break barriers?!"

Naraku smiled to himself. "Did you use the fuda?" he asked, knowing the answer already. He was enjoying this.

"Yes dammit! But you knew he would break through anyway!!" he hissed. "I almost had her, you lying bastard! You did this just to spite me!"

Onigumo lunged in anger. In a second his neck was encircled by a thick scaly tentacle and was thrust back into a wooden wall with so much force, the wooden planks had cracked and splintered. Naraku stood unblinking five paces away, his scaled back appendage still holding the boy up by the throat.

"Do not forget, Onigumo, that I am your master now," he said in an icy voice. "I gave you another chance at life, another chance to attain your desires…" he raised his eyebrows for emphasis. "And I can take it away just as easily. Remember, you are not completely necessary to my plans."

Naruku felt Onigumo swallow nervously, despite no change in his glaring face. Though, he was no doubt in pain from being rammed into a three inch thick wooden wall.

"We are after the same thing," he continued in his sinister voice. "The destruction of Inuyasha and his gang. We then split the spoils as promised: you gain Kagome and I, the Shikon no Tama."

Onigumo sneered. "Hm. You really think you're still trustworthy after last night, do you?"

Naraku blinked, uninterested by the remark. "What you just came from was merely a test. It was necessary to calculate the situation before executing the plan."

Onigumo relaxed his shoulders, attempting to regain a comfortable angle to breathe. The tentacle tightened.

"Did she sense the shard?" asked Naraku coldly.

"Not until I was within ten feet of her," answered Onigumo darkly.

Naraku's eyes gleamed. "Good."

He dropped Onigumo to the ground and turned away lazily as the boy began rubbing his neck and gasping. A tentacle reached into Onigumo's pants and extracted a small black jar. Naraku inspected the vial as he twirled it in his fingers.

"Hm. Ten feet will probably be good enough. This jar made of a shard of the fuyouheki stone…"

Onigumo looked up as he crossed his legs, still rubbing his neck. "I still don't get what you're up to. You said it only erased youki, youkai energy."

Naraku didn't look up. "That's why she couldn't feel it until she was close enough. The Shikon no Tama is made up of the souls of youkai and an ancient miko. The jar cancelled out the youki of the youkai, meaning there was only the energy of the miko's soul radiating out of the shard, reducing the amount of the jewel's power being emitted. That was why she could only sense it when she got close enough."

Onigumo scowled as he rose to his feet and crossed the room to a cupboard. He yanked the doors open and picked a robe to dress in. "So you needed me to return as soon as possible to deliver my report? Why didn't you send Kagura or Kanna to test it out instead of fucking up my fun?"

Naraku held out his palm in which the sacred jewel materialised. He slid it inside the jar and slipped it back into his jacket.

"I sent them to investigate the next part. Besides, Onigumo, would you really want the chase to be over so soon?"

*****

"I see," said Kaede shaking her head. "What unfortunate circumstances."

She bent over to pull out another herb from the garden. "How is Kagome taking all of this?"

Inuyasha kept his arms crossed above his chest as he sat on the fence surrounding her small hut. "She seems fine. She's gone back home for now. To tell her family about it."

Kaede nodded sadly. "Coincidences can often be more painful than joyous," she said wisely.

Inuyasha tightened his grip on his sleeves. "It's not a coincidence," he snarled. "It's more like Naraku stooped to a new low. He messes with our friends just to get to us." He gritted out the word _friends_ in contempt as he thought back to the miserable human boy.

"He is the type who'll do anything to get what he wants," the old miko agreed. She looked up to see the hanyou still brooding to himself, lost in thought.

"So where have Miroku and Sango gone to?" she asked hoping to distract him.

He shrugged. "Gone off to court each other I guess. Better expect to see Miroku returning with hand prints all over his face."

Kaede chuckled.

"Shippou still sleeping?" he asked.

She looked back to the hut. There was no movement and no sound but for some small steady breathing. "I would say so. He seems very worn out from all the excitement of last night."

Inuyasha nodded once and continued to look out over the green mountains in the distance. Suddenly a sweet scent caught his nose. He flipped his head around to the direction of the well.

"Kagome's back!" he said surprised.

"My, that was quick," the old lady commented. "You'd best go and see her. She should not be left alone under the circumstances."

He didn't have to be told twice. He kicked off the fence and ran off towards the alluring fragrance. For some reason he was eager to see her. More eager than usual. He had wanted to accompany her to the other side but she insisted he stay back and bring Kaede up to speed on the events of last evening. They would be needing her and everyone else they knew with worldly knowledge to help figure out this one.

Of course, he had told Kagome to wait with her family on the other side until he collected her, but it seemed, as usual, she didn't listen. Inuyasha sniffed the air as he ran through the trees, becoming a red blur. At least the confrontation with Hojo – no – _Onigumo_ had allowed him to remember their new enemy's smell. And right now, it seemed all was clear. He burst through the trees to see Kagome hopping out of the well, her backpack by her feet.

"I told you to wait," he said frowning.

Kagome looked up, surprised to hear Inuyasha's voice. "Oh, Inuyasha." She waved and smiled. "Sorry, I didn't have to stay any longer so I thought I'd come back!"

"You're never this early, though."

"Oh," she said looking sideways. "So you don't want me back?"

Inuyasha stiffened at her choice of words. "W- What?!" he thundered. "We're not a couple! Stop talking like that!" He crossed his arms and turned away in a huff, desperately trying to hide his embarrassment.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "You always jump to the wrong conclusions," she sighed.

Inuyasha's ear twitched. "What do you mean by that?"

"Remember that time when I said you were exhausting?" she said as she reached down to her back pack. "You started to get scared I was going to go off with Kouga."

Inuyasha flicked his head away. "Keh! That's completely different!"

"Sure it is," muttered Kagome, knowing full well he could hear her. Inuyasha grumbled something to himself as he waited to feel his cheeks lose their pink tinge.

Kouga. It had been a while since they'd come across him. No doubt he was still a stubborn mangy wolf with such an incredibly thick skull that it still wouldn't let Kagome's rejections through. Inuyasha felt the burning jealousy in his chest begin to rise. Funny, how he'd begun to feel the hot sensation more and more lately. It was all because of Kagome!

He looked over his shoulder to watch her pull her arms through the straps of the bag. Her little fingers delicately tugged the straps into a comfortable position over her shoulders. Her thick black hair seemed to have such a lustrous shine unlike anyone of his era. Like black marble. Smooth, and flawless. He watched her dark round eyes look down to her skirt as her hand brushed away some dust residing there. The green material floated around her smooth thighs with every pat of her hand. Inuyasha felt his gaze go lower as he trailed down her long shapely legs.

Without meaning to, he began to imagine running his hands down, then up them again, while feeling the warmth of Kagome radiating into his chest as she leaned into him. What would it feel like to have her look directly at him? To feel her hot breath on his chin…?

Inuyasha looked away before the day dream went any further. He was furious with himself. That was exactly the same thing Onigumo was after! Kagome! And here he was having a lecherous moment that was probably just the same as the one he wanted to protect her from! He was just as bad! …but…

He sheepishly stole another look over his shoulder to see her bending down, adjusting her shoe. It wasn't like he wanted to hurt her. Not like Onigumo, who didn't give a damn about anyone but himself. Inuyasha wanted to keep her safe. To have her so close to him she practically melted into him. He wouldn't hurt her…

He stopped himself. Yes he had. What about Kikyou? He had caused her so much pain there. He still did. Yet miraculously, she still wanted to stay with him. She was so forgiving. And he was given another chance to keep his promise to her; to protect her from all bad things. And now he couldn't imagine life without her. He knew he was the only one he could trust to protect her and keep her away from all danger. No one else would be responsible enough. At least not wanting to keep some part of her to themselves.

Watching her tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, he noticed how unusually soft and small her features were. She was an unusual beauty with unusual, but pure, thoughts. No wonder she had so many bad suitors after her. Anyone would desire her…

Sensing she was about to look up, Inuyasha turned his head back to its previous position. "So did you tell them about Hojo?" he asked. He heard Kagome sigh again and looked back to see her shoulders hanging low.

"Yeah," she answered. She sounded exhausted. "I just gave them the basic details and told them we're looking for a way to get him back. But I don't know how we're supposed to do that," she added. She looked away and softly smiled. "Oh well, I guess we're going to see him again anyway, if he keeps his promise…"

Although there was a light smile, her eyes remained glazed.

Feeling her distress, he was by her side in a heart beat standing less than one inch from her shoulder. She looked up in surprise at him. Her eyes had lost their distant look. She was staring directly at him in confusion.

"Kagome," he breathed trying to find the right words, trying to ease her grief. "I swear upon my life, I won't let him touch you." He took hold of her small shoulders and turned her body to face him. "I'll bring back your friend… but… I will never let anything hurt you…"

Fuck. He wasn't making any sense. But he kept his gaze locked on her, trying to will her into understanding what he was saying. Her eyes swam with emotion. She at least seemed to understand.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered. She rested her head forward onto his chest. "Thank you."

She really was exhausted. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and looked down at her wondering about strange little things. How little, but snugly she fit into his chest… How her smell seemed to be everywhere around him… How warm she was making him feel… He could feel the tingling heat spread from his chest all the way around his body to the tips of his fingers. She was safe here. It was only here he could truly relax knowing she was encased by him. He had only ever hugged her like this before: when he had nearly turned full-youkai after his human side was trapped in the mirror. He had pulled her into his arms in relief but mostly to make sure she really was safe. It was to reassure himself he wasn't dreaming.

He continued looking down at the top of her black hair when he felt her shifting. She looked up facing him and their eyes caught. It was the same longing face he often fell victim to in his day dreams. Her eyelids were half closed as she gazed up at him; her lips were slightly apart, letting out hot, damp, deep breaths that brushed against his skin. He was feeling unbearably hot and deepened his own breathing as he felt her chest rise and fall against his own. He looked down at her plump pink lips. If he could experience what they felt like one more time…

He leant down…

Suddenly a thunderous CRASH rocked the sincerity of the moment. In a split second Inuyasha had whipped out the tessaiga and jumped in front of Kagome, an arm out to shield her.

"Would you put that thing down? Your perceptive skills are terrible!" complained an old familiar voice.

Standing in front of them was Totosai's retarded looking three eyed bull standing brainlessly still with two figures on its back. The rider, being none other than Totosai in the flesh, looked miniscule in comparison to his larger companion sitting behind him. The companion had two thick antlers protruding from his head as well as a long drooping moustache hanging either side of his mouth.

"Isn't that…" started Inuyasha.

"What? You don't recognise me after everything I've done for you?" said Totosai outraged. "What an ungrateful little shi-"

"I know who you are!" yelled Inuyasha.

"Ah! It's Housenki-dono's son! The Jewel Wizard!" cried Kagome.

The jewel-making youkai nodded in greeting. "Nice to see you again, Inuyasha, Kagome-san."

"What do _you_ want?" Inuyasha asked the blacksmith rudely. He had suddenly remembered what he was about to do before the interruption and was cursing himself for letting his guard down. "You hardly ever come this far away from your mountain."

"Yup, ungrateful as ever," said Totosai, narrowing his bulging eyes. He turned to his passenger. "I told you he'd be like this. Even though we bring him that sort of information…"

That caught Inuyasha's attention.

"What information?"

"Oh, I don't feel like telling you now," sulked Totosai as he pulled a large clump of wax out of his ear.

"Don't fucking come all this way and then say nothing!" Inuyasha shouted.

"I'm sorry for his rudeness, Totosai Ojii-san," said Kagome stepping forward, her hands placed together in apology. "If you have information that would be helpful, please tell us."

Totosai huffed. "You'd think some of your good manners would have rubbed off on _him_ by now," he muttered. He looked at the youkai over his shoulder "Do you want to tell them, or do you want me to?"

"Tell us what?" asked Inuyasha impatiently.

"Kagura, that woman of Naraku's, came to my lake last night," said the Jewel Wizard. "I think I know what Naraku's after. And it's not good."

**A/N:** It's done! Woot! I managed to write this thing in one day, which is a big thing for me. Thankyous to **SimplyIndefinable1992 **(not many people did!), **HeidiBax** (twice! lol) and **IDoInuyasha31** (great penname, I lol'd).

Thanks so much for the encouragement! I love it!

GoldenDust


	9. The Many Uses of Pearls

A/N: I only know that Housenki is the name of the youkai that made Inuyasha's black pearl. As for his son's name, in the anime he just says he's the "new Housenki". So let's just refer to him as Housenki jr. named after his father.

And for everyone who left a comment: I LOVE YOU!! Thank you **IDoInuyasha31**, **HeidiBax** and **prettylilah**.

I don't own Inuyasha, k?

Chapter 8- The Many Uses of Pearls

He nearly kissed her… That _was_ what he was trying to do, right?

When Kagome went home to tell her mother about finding Hojo (in the Feudal Era of all places!) she was surprised to find her family to be so enthusiastic about his rescue. Her grandfather had instantly gone to the old shed to find some sort of exorcising powder which he said had been passed down for generations starting from the time of the great Lord… she had stopped listening.

Souta began jumping up and down saying something about Inuyasha using his Iron Claw attack against that Onigudo-or-whatever-he-was-called bad guy. He had then calmed down and patted his big sister's hand reassuring her that there was nothing Inuyasha no Onii-san couldn't do. Her mother had taken her aside and placed her arms around her daughter's shoulders telling her this whole fiasco wasn't her fault and was just a very unfortunate case of fate. Besides, at least they knew what happened to Hojo and that cleared out all the other horrible possibilities that had circled around their heads before.

The energetic and positive response from her family made her all the more eager for action in Hojo's rescue. She gave her mother a quick squeeze and elatedly ran upstairs to repack her things before heading back down to the well house calling her farewell to her grandfather who was still rummaging around in the shed. The feeling of invincibility suddenly vanished the second she stared down into the well, poised for the jump. There was one thing that bothered her about rescuing Hojo: _Just how were they supposed to do it?_

The uncertainty came flooding back as she landed back in the Fuedal Era. She looked around the walls of well, dark, damp and encasing. Had she not been so accustomed to the well's presence, she might have thought it felt trapping. Was that how Hojo was feeling at the moment he came to the Fuedal Era too? Kagome's brow furrowed in irritation. She had just started to feel better too! Sulking wasn't going to solve anything! She had been so lost in her thoughts when she climbed out into the clearing, she hadn't notice Inuyasha arrive.

_So did you tell them about Hojo?_

She gave him a standard answer and wondered aloud how they were going to save him.

_Oh well, I guess we're going to see him again anyway, if he keeps his promise…_

Her chest tightened when she uttered those words and she felt the smallest thrill of panic. What if he came back stronger? What if Inuyasha got hurt? Onigumo said he was going to kill him when he got the chance…

In less than a second her hanyou was by her side staring at her with an expression he rarely showed. She couldn't look away from his eyes. They were still as intense as his smouldering glare, but softer, sincere… like he could say anything and she would gladly believe him. It was a look of pleading like the one he had at the castle, begging her not to go see Hojo alone. He had been all too right about that evening, she thought guiltily. But this time it was like she was all he could see. The glowing embers of his irises kept her helpless against his gaze.

_Kagome, I swear upon my life, I won't let him touch you. I'll bring back your friend… but… I will never let anything hurt you…_

She knew he meant it. She was almost shocked he was actually saying things like that, knowing full well he found expressing himself more difficult than breathing with a gaping hole in his chest. She couldn't say anything else but _thank you_ for fear of crying, and she knew he would think her tears would be his fault. To spare him any confusion, she decided on placing her head on his chest and basking in his warmth. The safety, the security of his arms was amazing. She could feel him tighten around her as she listened to the dull _thump thump_ of his heart. It was hypnotic. Was she dreaming?

She looked up at him to see him giving her the same smouldering stare, looking so intensely at her. Kagome deepened her breathing, trying to get more oxygen to her brain. She stared at his molten eyes, his thick jaw, his open mouth… and could feel him panting warm air on her own. She couldn't think anymore and closed her eyes, leaning in, as she felt him come closer to her lips…

And then she was flung behind him. By the time she was out of the daze, she was behind Inuyasha's arm facing Totosai and the son of Housenki sitting on the bull.

Oh God! They had nearly done it again!! Kagome mentally cursed herself, but at the same time, she felt happy beyond words. Angry because Inuyasha loved Kikyou and was still doing something like this, but happy because, despite everything, she still loved him so much…

*****

"Kagome? Are you OK?" asked Shippou. Kagome inhaled sharply as she came back to reality. She looked down at the little fox and smiled.

"I'm fine! Sorry, Shippou-chan."

Kagome looked around Kaede's hut in dismay. It seemed everyday it was getting more and more crowded. She hoped Kaede didn't mind. She was such a patient woman, especially for an old miko. And to think she was happily sharing her food with her supposed natural enemies!

Housenki junior was a gigantic youkai to begin with so his antlers didn't help with the cramped space. He had to sit in the pit between the door and the raised platform, his legs crossed and head bowed low to avoid hitting the roof. Totosai sat to his left, Kaede, his right. The others sat with their backs to the walls, Shippou in Kagome's lap from the lack of space. They had managed to leave enough room in the centre of the wooden floor to boil some water to make green tea. Kagome smiled remembering her mother's words: _One isn't a good host if one does not provide tea for their guests._

Inuyasha, sitting next to Totosai, impatiently tapped his finger on a crossed arm. He had been irritated since they arrived.

"So are you gonna tell us what Naraku is after or have you just come by to visit?" he asked with dark sarcasm.

"Patience, Inuyasha," said Miroku calmly.

"Pah!" scoffed Totosai. "He's just upset because he got interrupted! Never mind how important our information is..."

Kagome and Inuyasha's eyes involuntarily flickered to each other. Inuyasha quickly looked away, his face turning a slightly darker shade as he mumbled something to himself. Miroku, satisfied his half demon friend had shut up a little, turned to their largest guest.

"Housenki-dono," began Miroku. "You say you were visited by Kagura?"

"You weren't hurt, were you?" asked Kagome concerned.

The youkai shook his head, being mindful of the low roof. "Thank you, but I'm fine. I managed hide myself before she arrived."

"Hide yourself?" asked Sango. "You managed to hide what she was after as well?"

He shook his head again. "No, I did not know what she wanted, but I could tell she was coming with ill intent." He reached into his yukata and removed a round white object, holding it out for everyone to see.

"What a beautiful pearl…" murmured Kagome.

"This showed me that something bad was coming. It's a jewel I made myself. When danger approaches, it turns black. But when those with good intentions are around, it turns white."

"Amazing…" said Sango and Kagome as they leaned in to get a better look at the shining milky stone.

Inuyasha rocked his knee impatiently. "Can we get to the point? What was Naraku after?"

"Patience, Inuyasha-sama, please!" cried Myouga hopping up and down on the hanyou's shoulder.

"Please continue, Housenki-dono," said Kaede graciously.

He nodded. "Well, as soon as my pearl turned black, I hid myself inside it-"

"You can hide inside pearls?!" said Shippou excitedly. Kagome glared at Inuyasha when he was about to bring down his fist on Shippou's head. He sheepishly looked away from her again. Kagome's eyebrows furrowed. What the heck was his problem?

"Yes, it was one of my personal experiments," Housenki continued. "Though, Father was the one to have thought up the theory. It drags you inside it and allows you to watch everything from within the safety of the stone."

"I see. Genius! Was that what Naraku wanted?" asked Miroku.

"Get to the good part, kiddo," said Totosai as he nudged Housenki encouragingly.

The jewel youkai scratched his upper lip. "You see, when I was inside the stone, I saw Naraku's demon woman break open my clam. When she couldn't find me, the flying insects she had with her started searching through all the jewels I had brought up from the lake floor. She picked up the stone I was hiding in and that's when I heard her. But I didn't expect her to be looking for that…"

"Looking for what?" asked Shippou. Everyone leaned in, having the same question on their minds. The faint sound of the water bubbling was the only noise cutting through the silence. Housenki looked around at them, embarrassed by all the attention. He cleared his throat.

"You know that I specialise in my father's work to raise jewels to become gateways to the other world, yes? (excluding my own experiments with the concealment pearl). Well, not only can they do that, but through his own experiments, Father found they can be used to find other paths."

Miroku looked confused. "Other paths?"

"Paths of time," answered Totosai.

Kagome's eyes widened. Naraku wanted to travel through time?

There was silence in the room again. Totosai looked around at the group. "Are you aware of what paths of time mean?"

Everyone nodded and looked at Kagome out of the corner of their eyes. They were no strangers to the concept of time travel.

"Housenki Senior was indeed an incredible youkai. His skills were unparalleled!" said Myouga triumphantly.

"My father made them a long time ago," continued the jewel maker. "He only made a few. He found that they could make him go back to the past for a while. I never went with him; the jewels can only move one person."

"Umm… so they can only make someone go to the _past_, right?" said Kagome nervously.

The youkai nodded. "Yes, they can only go back in time to events that have already happened. My father said he visited himself when he was three hundred years younger."

Kagome let out a deep breath quietly. Thank goodness. So Naraku was still focusing on the Feudal Era, or at least, the time before it. At least this meant her nightmare wouldn't be coming true any time soon. She shuddered as she remembered the horrific dream she was forced to endure inside the moth youkai's cocoon.

"Kagura was looking for pearls that create paths of time…" murmured Sango to herself.

"Yes, well, anyway, when the coast was finally clear, Housenki Junior came and found me," said Totosai stroking his chin. He nodded his thanks when his other hand took the cup Kaede offered him. "We figured we had to find you all and tell you what had happened."

"So have you got those time pearls or whatever on you?" said Inuyasha leaning back into the wall.

"Fool," said Totosai. "If we had them we would have destroyed them by now than let that Naraku guy get them."

"You don't have them?" asked Kagome taking a cup of her own.

Housenki dropped his shoulders in a sigh. "Before my father died there was only one pearl left. He told me that word of the pearls of time had gotten out and it would be dangerous in the wrong hands. So he asked me to get rid of it."

He sighed again. "Unfortunately, I couldn't destroy it. I even took it to Totosai-sama to ask if he could burn it to ashes, but even his great fire couldn't scratch it. In the end, all I could do was throw it away in some ruins, hoping no one would find it."

"That's right! The Time Pearl!" cried Myouga as if he suddenly remembered the story. "I remember now! Housenki Senior said something about them to me one day. Apparently you can't touch them without being transported back in time! Very troublesome, he said. He accidently went back fifty years once when he stepped on one! "

"My, my," said Kaede as she finished passing out the tea. "So you can choose how far back into the past you go?"

"From what I remember it depends on the size, right Housenki?" asked Myouga.

"Yes, the size of the pearl determines how far back you go and how long you stay."

"So a pearl about that size," said Sango as she pointed to the white concealment pearl resting in Housenki's hand. "How far back would you travel?"

He looked down in thought at the jewel. "Hmm… one of this size would send you back about… two hundred years give or take a couple of decades… And you'd probably stay for about a week their time."

"Wow, a whole week in the past!" whispered Kagome. "That _would_ be troublesome to suddenly disappear for that long."

"Oh, no," said Housenki. "But to those in the present it would be like it happened instantaneously."

Miroku, who was quiet for all this time sat with a hand under his chin. He didn't look away from the floor as he spoke. "So basically: Naraku wants the time pearl, but you don't have it anymore. You threw it away somewhere. There is only one pearl left and if you touch it, you will go back to the past. How far back depends on the size of the pearl. And you want us to find this pearl before Naraku, yes?"

Housenki bowed deeply. "It would be a great favour, not just for me but for all in existence!"

"And you're sure there is no way to destroy it?" asked Miroku. "What happened to the others?"

"The only way to make the pearls disappear is to use them," said the jewel youkai gravely. "Once you return, the gateway closes and the pearl just disappears. Father had used all the other ones up."

There was silence around the room as everyone absorbed the information.

"Well, that doesn't mean one of you will have to go back in time," said Totosai waving his hand lightly. "Just try and find it first and then we'll work out what to do."

"Yes," said Miroku rubbing his hands. "Now that's settled, on to more important things: Kaede-sama! What's for dinner?"

Everyone instantly broke into conversation asking what they could do to help, saying what was the best way to roast seaweed and asking if they could have pickled plums with their rice. In the busy chatter Kagome saw Inuyasha silently get up and leave the hut, inching around Housenki who was eagerly looking into the boiling pot.

Kagome's eyes narrowed as she remembered the hanyou avoiding eye contact with her. Luckily, Shippou had bounded off of her lap and was beginning to search through the supplies with Kaede for the pickled plums. Kagome darted around the big youkai and stepped out into the cool night air. She knew straight away where he'd gone and headed down the short path to the river. Ten metres from the hut, she looked up at the dead tree by the bridge, its silhouette sticking out in the silver moonlight. It didn't take her eyes long to get accustomed to the darkness.

"Inuyasha? Come down! I want to talk to you!"

There was silence, but she could see a faint red out line somewhere high up.

"…what do you want?" he answered gruffly.

"Come down and I'll tell you," she said.

"I'm not coming down."

"Why not?"

"Cause, I'm keeping watch!" he barked.

"You can keep watch down here!" she said, her hands on her hips. "Now come down!"

"Look, I told ya! I'm not coming down, got it?!" he yelled.

Kagome clenched her fists and stuck her arms solidly straight at her sides.

"SIT!!!"

Inuyasha dropped to the ground with a dull thud, a dust cloud rising.

"What the hell, bitch?!" he screamed looking up at her. She grabbed his two side bangs and yanked his face up.

"Why are you avoiding me?!" she yelled.

Inuyasha looked away angrily. "I-I-I'm not avoiding you," he stammered through gritted teeth.

Kagome's mouth set into a firm line. "Liar. You're avoiding me! Ever since you tried to kiss me! What did I do wrong?!"

Inuyasha's face flushed bright red as he stared back at her in shock. "I didn't try to k-ki- … do that!" he yelled.

Kagome's mouth opened in offence."You did too!"

"Well, you were doing it back!"

"Ugh!" she cried as she let go and crossed her arms, her body facing entirely away from him. She faintly heard him get to his knees and felt him huff, facing away from her as well. Kagome bit her lip.

"… Do you regret it?" she asked in a small voice.

"What are you talking about?!" he said. "Nothing happened!"

"Yeah, nothing happened," she sulked, hugging her knees to her chest and plopping her chin down. She saw him look at her, surprised, out of the corner of her eye.

"…Do _you_ regret it?" he asked quietly.

'What are you talking about? Nothing happened!" she mocked.

There was silence as both were lost in their thoughts. Kagome sighed. "…I was happy."

Again there was silence. She kept herself facing away from him. "I was happy you were there for me," she finished. Summoning her courage, she shyly looked up to his face.

Only one word popped into her head that described what she saw: adorable. He looked at her over his shoulder, his eyes the same as when he was with her at the well. Almost longing. Like a little puppy. His dog ears twitched.

"So you're not mad?" he asked cautiously.

Kagome rocked on her side to lean her head on his shoulder. "No," she said looking away smiling. She could feel his face looking down at her, giving her a warm sense of security. "I'm always glad when you're with me."

"Keh."

A/N: Till next time!


	10. Meeting Allies and the Best Sit Ever

A/N: Another chapter out in one day just cuz I'm feeling generous :)

Once again, a huge thanks for all your reviews guys! Your continued support means everything to me. Seriously, I'm _so_ glad you guys are enjoying it as much as I am writing it!

I don't own Inuyasha, blah, blah, you know the drill.

Chapter 9- Meeting of Allies and the Best 'Sit' Ever

"Kouga! Wait up!!"

He could barely hear the cries of his men over the whirl of his feet as they ploughed into the dirt.

"Slackers…" he mumbled to himself. They had just stopped for a break three hours ago and they were _still_ struggling to keep up? Kouga smirked to himself. Of course, he _was_ the wolf prince so it was no wonder he was so much faster than Ginta and Hakkaku. Mind you, the shikon fragments helped with his speed immensely.

Kouga looked down at his whirring feet out of the corner of his eye. It had been a long time since he had seen Kagome and he wondered if she was alright. She was probably with that mutt, no doubt. Kouga frowned to himself. As much as he hated to admit it, the dog was strong with that Cutting Wind thing and seemed responsible enough to keep her out of harms way. Apart from the time she nearly died from poisoning on Mt Hakurei…

Kouga gritted his teeth and let out a ferocious growl. That had been way too close. And when he finally destroyed Naraku and came for Kagome, the Dog Turd would pay severely for that.

The trees whizzed by his head in a green blur as he sniffed the air. Naraku wasn't here. He reached a break in the trees to find himself on the ledge of cliff facing an eternity of rolling green hills. A couple of little villages lay scattered across the land.

Kouga sniffed the air again and jumped. There it was again! That strange scent... He had never smelt anything like it before. It was a mix of snake… ash… and something else… It was close, too. Not more than two miles away.

He was about to run down the cliff face when another assault of scents tingled his nose: The aroma of flowers, the smell of two humans and the stench of a **dog**.

"Kagome!" he exclaimed to himself. Without another thought as to the strange scent from before, he leapt over the edge and bolted towards his woman. He faintly heard his men arrive to look over the cliff, groan and turn around to find a way down after him.

"Hm. They're definitely slackers," he muttered.

*****

Inuyasha walked ahead of the group, his arms folded in his haori sleeves. Close behind him walked Kagome, who was busy in conversation with Miroku and Sango. Inuyasha nodded to himself in approval as he watched her out of the corner of his eye. It seemed she had finally agreed to be less difficult and stand near him while they were travelling. Perhaps she had finally understood the seriousness of the situation. She seemed to have been a lot more agreeable ever since they left the village.

After Totosai and Housenki had finished their meal they had left to go salvage whatever was left of Housenki's clam. Kaede had asked whether Housenki should go back at all in case Naraku's insects were still keeping an eye out for him. Totosai had shook his head lightly. He assured the old miko that they were only looking for anything that wasn't destroyed so they could move it to Totosai's cave. Everyone had agreed that Housenki should stay with the youkai blacksmith until the search for the time pearl was over, as there was still a chance of him being a target. Knowing the search would no doubt be dangerous, Myouga had gone with the two youkai.

"But what else can we do?" sighed Miroku. "Housenki-dono just said he had thrown the pearl away in some ruins. Unlike the shikon shards, Kagome-sama can't sense pearls."

"I guess we just have to continue with our search for the fragments," said Sango absentmindedly as she petted the fire cat on her shoulder.

Kagome nodded. "Mm. And perhaps we'll run into Naraku. Maybe even he can lead us to the pearl."

Shippou clinging to Miroku's back leaned over to speak. "And we have to keep an eye out for Onigumo! He said he was going to come back for Kagome!" he said with scowl on his face.

Inuyasha felt an angry jolt in his chest. "Yeah," he answered in a low voice.

Sango looked up at the sky. "The sun will begin to set in an hour. Should we look for a clearing in the forest for tonight?"

"Hmm… yes. The next village is still over a hill away," said Miroku in a deflated voice.

Inuyasha felt Kagome stiffen behind him and stopped, keeping the distance close between them. "I sense two shikon fragments…" she said looking behind them at the wide dirt road from which they came.

Inuyasha nearly gagged when a breeze flowed from that particular direction. "Shit. The stench of that mangy wolf," he cursed.

"Oh, this is going to be interesting!" said Miroku, his lips curving up into a smile.

Sango looked at him inquisitively. "How do you figure?" she asked.

"Well, ever since what happened at the castle, Inuyasha has barely let Kagome-sama out of his sight!" Miroku tapped his nose excitedly. "I'd love to see how he'll react to Kouga's advances now!"

"Oh! He'll be even more protective!!" said Shippou excitedly.

"And that's where the fun begins! It'll be the best we've seen," winked the monk. "We better get a good seat…"

"Hey! We ain't just some piece of entertainment!" barked the hanyou. He felt a small hand lightly tap him on the shoulder and turned to see Kagome staring up at him.

"Inuyasha, please don't fight with him, today," she pleaded, her hands clasped together. He was taken aback by the begging look in her eyes. The dog demon was about to answer when he saw the whirlwind blazing down the trail towards them.

"Not promising anything," he growled as he gently pushed her behind him and reached for the tessaiga.

"Oi! Mangy wolf! What do you want this time?" he yelled as he drew his sword. The whirlwind disappeared as the wolf prince nimbly leapt on top of Inuyasha's head. Kouga stood with his hands on his hips admiring the view from the hanyou's skull before looking down.

"Yo, Dog Turd. Still alive, huh?"

"Get the fuck off of me!!"

Without blinking, Kouga dodged the swinging blade before (to Inuyasha's distain) landing in front of Kagome. Inuyasha felt the all too familiar burning of hot white rage as the wolf clasped his hands around hers.

"Kagome, how are you feeling today?" he asked way too smoothly.

Kagome smiled weakly. "Um… I'm fine, Kouga-kun, thank you."

"What do you think you're doing, bastard?" screamed the hanyou as he ripped apart their hands.

Kouga narrowed his eyes. "I _think_ I'm catching up with my woman, Dog Turd."

Inuyasha pushed his face up to the wolf's and bared his fangs. "She's not _your_ woman," he rumbled in a low voice.

Kouga sniffed. "Yeah, like I haven't heard that before." He looked over to the young miko. "Sure, you're not sick of him yet, Kagome?"

She shook her head. "N-no! Um, Kouga-ku-"

"You hear that? She's fine. Now get back to running away, wimpy wolf."

Kouga looked back to Inuyasha's dark expression and squared his shoulders. "You know, I'm not liking your attitude today, Dog. Are you aggressive like this around my Kagome? I'm not sure I trust you around her…"

Inuyasha kept a level gaze, unblinking. Kouga lowered his voice so only the two of them could hear. "Perhaps I should take her with me…"

Inuyasha thought he saw his vision go red. A feral, guttural growl, unlike anything he had made before, rose from his throat. Kouga's eyes widened in surprise before the cocky exterior returned. He stepped back and positioned himself ready to fight.

"So, you don't like that, huh, Dog Turd?"

"Don't even think about taking her; it'll just end badly for you, wolf," snarled Inuyasha through gritted teeth. He was struggling to keep his voice level. The wolf had never pissed him off this much before. Talking of taking Kagome away? That would be like sending her to her death! There was no way in hell that was going to happen. No one else could be trusted with her but himself. "Now, why don't you walk away, while you still can?"

"Oh, well said!" interrupted Miroku, as he, Sango and Shippou clapped their hands in applause.

Inuyasha turned to see them sitting on a rock by the side of the road. They had Kagome's snacks out, munching while watching eagerly. "Hey! What did I say about treating us like entertainment?!" the hanyou yelled.

"But you do this every time," said Shippou, a pocky sticking out of his mouth.

Sango nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid we see the rivalry between you two to be so childish, we see some amusement in the situation."

"There's no amusement!!" shouted Inuyasha.

"Um, Kouga-kun," Kagome began as she stepped forward. "I'm afraid now's not a goo-"

Inuyasha instantly held out a hand to hold her back. "Don't get too close, Kagome," he said warningly.

Kouga raised an eyebrow. "What the hell's stuck up your ass today, Dog? You're worse than usual."

"Oh, Inuyasha's been like this ever since Kagome-sama's virtue was threatened by his old enemy, Onigumo," said Miroku, waving as if it were no great importance.

"Would you guys shut up?" yelled Inuyasha. "Don't say it so carefree like that! Ain't that stuff embarrassing for girls?"

"But it really doesn't bother me at all," said Kagome simply. Inuyasha swivelled around, surprised by her relaxed tone.

"W-what?" he gaped. "But weren't you… aren't you still… scared?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No, because you were there to save me."

Inuyasha felt a huge wave of relief flow over him. Sure, she had seemed alright after the incident, but he was worried she was keeping her fears to herself. But that smile was so honest… it showed she meant every word. She trusted him!

Hah! Take that wolf!!

"You hear that, wimpy wolf?" he gloated. "I got her covered so you can run off without a care in your little head!"

Kouga stood remarkably still. His head hung low, his black bangs covering his face. Inuyasha stared confused. He felt Kagome watch warily from his haori sleeve. "Kouga-kun…?"

"W-wait…" Kouga trembled. "Are… you saying… _my_ Kagome was _attacked_?!! YOU FUCKING HALF-BREED BASTARD!!!"

Kouga's fist smashed into Inuyasha's cheek bone and sent him flying down the dirt road.

"INUYASHA!!" screamed Kagome.

Fortunately, Ginta and Hakkaku had just rounded the corner, wheezing and dripping in sweat. "Ah! Kouga-!" They cried before they were cut off by a half demon slamming into their chests, knocking them into the ground.

Inuyasha got to his feet and strengthened his grip around the tessaiga. The bastard wasn't holding anything back. He could tell by the throbbing pain of his bruised cheek. At least Kouga didn't have a shikon fragment in his arm anymore; otherwise his jaw would have probably been broken. He barely had enough time to leap out of the way as Kouga landed a kick, shattering the rocky ground.

Ginta leapt into Hakkaku's arms, narrowly escaping the attack. "Yikes! Kouga, what's going on?!"

Kouga didn't answer as he kept up with his assault. "YOU BASTARD!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO HER!!!" he roared as threw punch after kick after punch.

Inuyasha was straining to keep out of the way. Kouga was fast. Very fast. And it was taking the hanyou everything to defend. There were no spaces open long enough for a good attack. Inuyasha faintly heard Kagome yelling at them to stop fighting, but ignored it. An idea suddenly came to him. If there were no openings, he would just have to create one! Brilliant!

He began pelting towards his rival and raised his sword. "KOUGA YOU BASTARD…!!"

"SIT!!!"

THUD

Inuyasha stared at the ground in shock, his nose squished into the dirt.

The bitch had sat him. Right when he was finally about to waste the fucking wolf! He furiously jerked his head up. "WHAT THE FUCK, KAGO-?!" The last syllable caught in his throat as his eyes landed on her.

Kagome.

With her arms around Kouga's chest.

"Please, Kouga-kun! Stop fighting!!" she shouted, trying to hold him back. Kouga kept his livid eyes on Inuyasha as he fought with himself; desperate to kill the hanyou, but not wanting to hurt Kagome.

"Let go, Kagome!" said Kouga. "The bastard deserves this."

She pushed herself further into his chest. Inuyasha nearly chocked.

"No, Kouga-kun! He doesn't! He saved me! I'm fine! Nothing happened!"

"Nothing happened?!" the wolf youkai scoffed. "You were attacked nonetheless! It doesn't matter how far it went! Dog Turd shouldn't have put you in danger to begin with!!"

"Kouga-kun, please. What brings you here? Did you come to check up on us?"

Inuyasha had to hold down the bile squirming up his throat. Now she was kissing up to him with that sickly sweet voice! What the hell was she playing at?! God, he wanted to rip her away from him. But she just HAD to fucking _sit _him, didn't she? And now she was torturing him by pulling a stunt like this?! Inuyasha clenched the dirt in his fists.

He was pissed. Beyond pissed.

"I came following some weird scent," said Kouga slowly calming down. "Of course, I've lost it now… It was strange. I haven't smelt anything like it before. It was the same smell that hung around an abandoned castle west of here."

"An abandoned castle, you say?" asked Miroku. Inuyasha hadn't noticed everyone standing around them, on edge, until now. They must have gotten up when the fight broke out. Kagome, seemingly satisfied Kouga was calm, stood away from him. Although relieved, Inuyasha couldn't stop the sick burning feeling in his stomach.

"Yeah, strange circumstances!" said Ginta, nodding furiously.

Hakkaku clenched his fist, excited to be sharing the information. "Mm! We heard some humans talk about how everyone in the castle mysteriously died when their lord disappeared!"

"They said he was some sort of heavenly being, didn't they?" asked Ginta.

"Anyway, I was following the stench of snake and ash when I came across you guys and thought to check on my Kagome," continued Kouga. "But to think I find her in this… condition-!"

Inuyasha's ears flicked and he propped his head up as high as he could off the ground. He was beginning to feel the tingling sensation in his toes; a signal he'd be able to move again soon.

"It smelt of snake and ash?"

"Yeah, what's it to you, Dog?!" growled Kouga.

"Did it also smell clean? Sort of like Kagome?"

Kouga stared at him surprised. He took a light whiff of Kagome's hair. His eyes bulged.

"Yeah! Just like it! But there was something else, too...!"

"So he's nearby…" grumbled Inuyasha as he glared into space.

"Onigumo, you mean?" asked Shippou, clinging to Miroku's shoulder again. Kouga stiffened.

"Onigumo..? Didn't you say that was the name of the guy who tried to hurt Kagome…?"

He spun around and bolted down the dirt road with his whirlwind close on his tail.

"I'LL BRING YOU THAT BASTARD'S HEAD, KAGOME!!!!" he shouted over his shoulder. He almost sounded psychotic.

"WAIT, KOUGA! DON'T KILL HIM!!" called Kagome after him.

"Aw, damn! Wait up Kouga!"

"Bye, Kagome Nee-san!"

Ginta and Hakkaku sprinted after their leader. The rest watched them in silence until they were out of sight.

"I wouldn't worry, Kagome-sama," said Miroku eventually. "I don't think he'll be able to take down Onigumo by himself. And if things get too dangerous for Kouga, he'll escape like he always does."

Kagome sighed. "Yeah, I guess," she said as Inuyasha finally picked himself off the ground. He felt her turn to him.

"Um… I'm sorry, Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha felt another surge of anger. "Sorry?! What for?! For sitting me or kissing up to Kouga?!"

Her mouth dropped open. "I was _not_ kissing up to him! What sort of girl do you take me for?!"

"Oh please!" He flicked his head away. "You were being such a flirt, it was disgusting! I felt sick just watching!"

"Inuyasha, Kagome just did that to stop you two from fighting! You don't need to be like that!" said Sango frowning.

"Geez, he really can't control his jealousy, can he?" sighed Shippou.

"Gah! Why the hell is everyone mad at me?!!" swore Inuyasha as he stormed off into the woods, sheathing his sword.

"Where are you going Inuyasha?" called Miroku.

"To look for a fucking clearing! Stay with Kagome!!" he shouted back.

Kagome glared after him until his red haori disappeared behind the greenery. "He thinks I'm a flirt? The nerve!!" she muttered. She began to follow after him.

"Kagome-chan, where are you going?" asked Sango.

Kagome turned around, a dark gleam in her eye. "If you hear any 'sits', don't come looking," she warned.

The others cowered back as they watched her go, knowing Inuyasha had unleashed Kagome's merciless fury. Once sure she was gone, Shippou turned to the monk.

"You were right, Miroku! That was the best so far!"

*****

Inuyasha kicked a stone and sent it flying above the tree tops. Damn that Kagome! Damn her! Damn her! And damn that fucking wolf too! If Kouga hadn't started the fight in the first place, Kagome wouldn't have had to step in and physically hold him back! She had her fucking arms around him!! Around that disgusting wolf!! The horrible image played over and over again in his mind. It was driving him mad! What was she thinking, throwing herself into his chest like that?! The anger he felt was incredible. He hated how he felt he was always losing it lately. And he hated Kagome for making him feel this way. Why did she have to make him feel so mad?!

Inuyasha continued storming around the trees, breaking off branches and crushing rocks beneath his feet as the incoherent thoughts kept circling around in his head. He was so lost in the furious frenzy of his mind that he didn't notice other animals running away from his fit. Or the fact that Kagome entered the clearing when his back was turned. He nearly jumped when he turned to see her. She was standing still with a blank expression on her face. He recollected himself before speaking.

"So, you've come to apologise, huh?" he sneered.

Kagome's eyebrow twitched. She crossed her arms. "Sit!"

Inuyasha went slamming into the ground.

"FUCK!!" he shouted. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU PLAYING AT, BITCH?!"

"You mean what the heck are_ you_ playing at! I told you two to stop, but you just ignored me!"

"That's 'cause women don't have a place in a fight between men!" he growled.

"I can't believe you just said that!" cried Kagome as she began to walk forward. "I was even sticking up for you!"

"What? In between each batter of your eyelashes?" he mocked.

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "I was NOT flirting! I was trying to calm him down so he would just leave already!"

"If you hate him so much, why don't you just tell him!" he barked.

"I don't hate Kouga-kun! He's our ally! He's our friend, whether you like it or not!"

"I am _not_ friends with that disgusting wolf!" scowled Inuyasha.

"Well, fine! Just an ally then!" said Kagome her hands up in exasperation. "But you know he's helped us out a lot in past!"

"Why are you sticking up for him so much?!" he yelled as the spell wore off. He got to his feet. "I guess you wouldn't want your beloved wolf's pride to be hurt!" he said, his voice thick with sarcasm.

"AAGH! You are such a _jerk_!" she shouted. "Why can't you get it through your skull, baka?!"

He flinched as she shrieked, but pushed his face back in front of hers. "Oh, I'm an idiot, am I? Well why don't you run off to your mangy lover, then?"

"Inuyasha…" she said warningly, pressing her face closer.

"I'm sure he'd love to have you back considering how you stink like him now!"

"THAT'S IT!!" screamed Kagome. "INUYASHA! SIT!!"

They hadn't realised how close they were standing.

Inuyasha's rosary glowed, and in a split second, dragged him forward to the ground. He heard Kagome gasp as he landed. But this time… it felt different. The ground had seemed softer than before… and his mouth felt strange… moist…

Inuyasha opened his eyes to stare into Kagome's wide ones. He suddenly realised with a jolt what had happened. He was lying on top of Kagome, pinning her to the ground. And there he was… looking into her eyes… with his lips crushed against hers.

Everything came into focus as time stood still. His top lip rested in between her two pink plump ones. He could feel the erratic thumping of her pulse through her bottom lip and felt the warm moisture from inside her mouth against his skin. He felt a tingle shoot through his body as he marvelled at how soft her lips felt. He was kissing her!

Inuyasha began to notice the deep rising and falling of her chest against his, much the same as back at the well. Her chest… His body suddenly became aware of hers. The heavenly scent flowing from her… The softness of her breasts against his torso… The way his leg fit snugly in between hers… That was the thing: everything seemed to fit together perfectly.

Kagome nervously swallowed, involuntarily moving her lips slightly against his. Inuyasha felt a thrill go down his spine as he felt the hot wetness sliding over more of his mouth. He continued staring straight into her eyes until he felt himself begin to… _react_. Realising he couldn't take anymore, he tore his mouth away. Inuyasha cursed when he remembered the spell was still in full force and that he couldn't move away from her. Instead, he lay his forehead on the ground, his cheek resting by her ear. He tucked his chin into her shoulder, to avoid having to look at her. The beating of her heart seemed to radiate through her skin.

"Um… can you move yet?" whispered Kagome hoarsely.

"No," he mumbled, the heat flaring on his face. "Someone sat me, remember?"

"Well… you were asking for it…" she said softly.

Kagome tried pushing up off the ground to no avail. Inuyasha was way too heavy for that. The said hanyou bit his lip as he began to feel her wriggle under him, trying to scoot out from beneath his crushing body. He tried to close his eyes to imagine something else. But she kept _moving_…

"Kagome, stop it," he murmured. She lay perfectly still.

"Y-you want me to stay here?" she squeaked.

"Wha-?! Stupid! You're too weak to move me so just wait 'till the spell wears off!" he blushed furiously into her neck.

"Fine… but you better not be having any lecherous thoughts," she muttered. Inuyasha looked up at her.

"Why you-! I'm not that monk-!" He faded away when he saw her face. She was sheepishly staring up at the trees with a large pink tinge covering her cheeks. It was a lovely sight, despite her clear embarrassment. But the colour… it suited her. She noticed him staring at her and turned her head slightly to look at him.

"W-what?" she asked. He looked away.

"Nothing."

There was silence for while. The two remained there, listening to sound of the birds singing to each other over the tree tops. The sky was slowly turning into the familiar orange of the sunset.

"Um… are you able to move now?" she asked again. Inuyasha snickered scornfully.

"It's not much fun is it?" He caught her eye and she looked away shyly. There was silence again for a few moments.

"… I really wasn't flirting with him, Inuyasha," said Kagome. "I just wanted you two to stop fighting."

Inuyasha felt the tingling sensation of the spell wearing off rush through his body. And yet, he didn't move.

"Keh."

"So… you understand?"

"Keh."

"You're hopeless," she sighed. "Not even an apology…"

"I've got nothing to be sorry for," he muttered.

She grinned. "Yeah, that's just like you."

Inuyasha gazed up at her soft smile for a moment. Then, taking in a deep breath of her smell, he reluctantly pushed himself off of her. Already his body missed the warmth as he got to his feet. Never breaking eye contact, he held out his hand and helped her up. They stood looking at each other for a second, their hands still clasped together. A gentle breeze blew from the east into the clearing blowing their hair lightly. Inuyasha froze.

It was the clean smell of ash, snake… and burning flesh.

"Inuyasha!!" called Miroku from somewhere through the trees.

Inuyasha crouched down next to the young woman. "Get on, Kagome."

She leapt onto his back without any hesitation and he sprinted through the foliage. He dodged tree after tree, jumping from boulders until he started following Miroku's scent uphill. Breaking through the forest edge, they saw their four companions standing in the middle of the road on the crest of a hill. They were starring at a cloud of smoke rising from a village in the distance. The black smog hung thick in the orange sky like a bleak image of an apocalypse.

"We just noticed it as we came over the hill," said Miroku looking to Inuyasha. "Do you think it could be bandits?"

Inuyasha shook his head.

"No. It's Onigumo. And it looks like he's inviting us in."

A/N: That kissing scene was dedicated to **Missy** who has been hanging out for our fav couple to finally get a little action ;) Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	11. Spider Thread

A/N: Big thank you to **HeidiBax** and all those who are reading!

BTW, I think a few people missed the fact I added **2 chapters** last time. If you suddenly found yourself reading about strange pearls and such in chapter 10, **you've probably missed chapter 9**, so go back to that. Otherwise you'll be sittin' there staring at the screen going _"…what?"_

More Japanese lessons: itachi = weasel and hebi = snake

Don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 10- Spider Thread

A horrific scream erupted from the stillness of the rocky mountain ranges. Naraku smirked as his victim slumped against the wide trunk of an ancient tree. The dark hanyou flexed one of his tentacles, lodged deep within the creature's shoulder. It cried out again, blood flowing from the wound.

"Oh my. I'm sorry, Itachi-sama," said Naraku, a dangerous chuckle passing through his lips. "My temper seems to get the better of me when my patience is tested."

The little weasel youkai looked up with pained eyes at his attacker. "P-please! I don't know anything!" he stuttered.

Naraku lightly shook his head. "Itachi-sama, you are the sneakiest weasel youkai in existence. Your hundreds of years of life have created quite the reputation for you." Naraku twisted the tentacle in the itachi's shoulder, receiving a whimper in return. "Every wise youkai knows that you have all the gossip of the demon kingdom. It's what your kind does, isn't it? Gather all the information you can, so you can use it against anyone for anything? How very sneaky…"

"B-but, I told you. I d-don't know anything about that!" the weasel wailed. Naraku knelt down to stare directly at the pathetic creature, the smile now completely gone. The little youkai gulped at the dark expression on the hanyou's face.

"You know all there is to know about youkai dealings, so surely you know what happens to those who cross me…" he said in a low voice.

The weasel sobbed before taking in a shuddering breath. "Housenki," he squeaked. "The jewel wizard, has gone into hiding. He's staying with-"

"I'm not interested in the jewel making youkai," hissed Naraku. "I want to know about the time pearls. Is it true there is only one left?"

The itachi nodded his head furiously. "Yes, yes! From what I have heard, all the others were used up!"

Naraku continued to stare at the weasel as the painfully thick silence dragged on. His victim was now violently trembling.

"And?" he asked, a sharp edge in his voice. The weasel widened his eyes in fear and launched into hysteric chattering.

"They say there is only one left because Housenki's father, Housenki senior, used them all up and they take you to the past and someone told me they take you back as far as their size allows and for a certain amount of time and you can't touch one without being sent back but they say humans aren't affected by the youkai magic but it doesn't matter anyway because no one knows where it is-!"

He was cut off by Naraku pushing his tentacle into the creatures shoulder a little more. He let out a strangled cry.

"Oh God!! I swear I don't know where it is!! It's been missing for fifty years!!! Housenki threw it away because he couldn't destroy it!"

"What was that about humans not being able to use the pearl?" demanded Naraku in a strangely calm voice. The weasel sobbed a couple more times, sweat dripping down the side of his face. He finally spoke again.

"Only youkai have used the pearls to travel back in time," he whimpered. "I heard that humans can't use the youkai magic stored inside the pearl. So they can touch them. But Housenki junior didn't say anything about it…"

Naraku's eyes flashed victoriously as the side of his lips curved up. "And pray, tell," he began smugly. "Where was the last place anyone saw the time pearl?"

"He said… he said he threw it away in some old abandoned ruins. No one goes there. Humans or youkai. That's all I heard…" he whispered, shuddering.

Naraku continued staring at the creature for a moment before breaking into a wide smile. "Thank you so much for the information, Itachi-sama," he grinned as he yanked his tentacle out of the weasel's shoulder.

His victim shrieked and collapsed to the ground, his clawed hand covering the bleeding. Naraku chuckled softly.

"You are lucky you are so useful," he said sinisterly. "Otherwise your life would have ended the second you refused my generous offer. But I'm glad you saw the light in the end."

He stood up, his shoulders squared as he looked down in triumph at the sobbing mess. "That will do for today," he smiled as he turned away.

"T-that's all?" shuddered the youkai. Naraku stared at him out of the corner of his eye before looking up at the sky. A swarm of poisonous wasps descended around him as he began to float off the ground.

"Itachi-sama," he said mockingly. "Do be careful in the future. A weasel is not the only thing that has tricks up its sleeves…"

The weasel youkai watched through his tear streaked eyes as the evil hanyou disappeared over the tree tops and out of sight.

*****

"Inuyasha," called Miroku over the wind. "Are you sure this is Onigumo's trap?"

"Keh! Isn't it obvious?" Inuyasha spat. "The mangy wolf told us he could smell him not too far from here! I'll bet he was keeping an eye on us, waiting for a good opportunity to strike!"

He tightened his grip on Kagome's legs as he leapt onto a high tree branch and pushed off to land on the other side of a river. The giant Kirara caught up with the red blur before their conversation continued.

"But how is this a good opportunity?" asked Sango loudly. "He's completely lost the element of surprise!"

"That's how he is!" yelled back Inuyasha. "He seems to like big shows! Likes to go straight into a battle head first!"

"That reminds me of someone I know," said Miroku quietly to Shippou.

"Hey!" shouted the hanyou.

"But then, is this such a good idea? We know it's a trap so why are we risking Kagome-chan by heading straight into the danger?" cried Sango.

Inuyasha came to a stop at the top of the hill, directly looking down at the smouldering village, not two hundred metres away. The smell of smoke was stronger; thick black clouds continued to rise from burning huts and barns as orange flames licked at the left over debris. Kagome couldn't help but feel a sick feeling squirming in her stomach as she gazed at the destruction through the trees. She felt Inuyasha let go of her thighs and place her gently on the ground.

"We're not," he said, finally answering Sango's question.

Kagome stared at him. "What?!"

"You're staying here, Kagome. With Shippou, Sango and Kirara. Miroku and I are going down there."

He didn't look at her. Kagome felt her eyebrows pinch together. "That's not fair, Inuyasha! He's after me-"

"And that's exactly why you're staying here!" he yelled. Kagome raised her arms to argue.

"Don't be stupid and reckless like always, Inuyasha! You might need me!" Stopping herself, Kagome sighed and relaxed her shoulders. She hadn't realised how tense she had become. "Please! I promise I'll keep out of your way!"

"I'll protect Kagome!" said a determined Shippou, his little fist clenched.

"Keh! I don't need anyone!" the hanyou said, folding his arms. "You're staying here, so you don't distract me by having to save you all the time!"

"Inuyasha…" said Kagome, slightly surprised by his words. It was so strange he wanted her away from him now. The past few days he hadn't left her side and now he wanted to leave her by herself? Well, Sango, Shippou and Kirara would be there, but Inuyasha wouldn't! They would protect her, but what about him?

Inuyasha's shoulders slumped a little as he caught her eyes. A lump caught in her throat when she saw the sincere intense molten gaze she had grown to love. "We gotta keep you away from him. This is the best way to protect you."

As he continued to look at her, Kagome was suddenly reminded of the intimate moment they had shared in the clearing a few minutes ago. Kagome felt her face flush pink and quickly looked away, praying her heart would slow the heck down. She couldn't think about that. Not yet, with these circumstances.

"I'll admit I'm not crazy about having Kagome-sama within Onigumo's sights," said Miroku carefully. "But what if this is to separate us? To us lured down there while he actually takes Kagome, hiding in the hills. It wouldn't be the first time we've been aware of the danger and still fallen for their trap."

Kirara growled. Sango patted the little cat seated on her shoulder. "What's wrong, Kirara?" she crooned.

Inuyasha, sensing something wrong sniffed the air and recoiled as the cat transformed and faced the wood away from the village.

"She can smell them," said Inuyasha grimacing.

"What?" asked Kagome.

Inuyasha stared in the direction Kirara was looking. Her fur was on end as she hissed into the forest. Everyone stood motionless. Silent. The only sound came from the furious spiting of the fire cat. The side of Inuyasha's mouth twitched.

"Hebi youkai," he rumbled.

"Onigumo's snake demons?" Miroku exclaimed.

"Yeah. We're surrounded."

Kagome glanced around the still woods trying to find some movement to indicate their presence, although she knew she probably wouldn't be able to see them. The silence was eerie. Almost as if it were too loud.

"So he _doesn't_ want us to be separated!" shivered Shippou, cowering into Kagome's legs. "He wants us all down there, doesn't he?"

Kagome picked up the little fox and held him tightly, stepping in closer to Inuyasha. At least he couldn't argue now. She would be coming with him no matter what. If he left her here with Sango, they would eventually be pushed down into the village from the snake youkai surrounding them anyway. Despite it being what she wanted, Kagome couldn't feel happy about this. She gasped in realisation.

"He's already got us in his trap, doesn't he?" she whispered.

Miroku clenched his staff and spoke. "Everybody, take one step back towards the village. See what happens."

They took a step. Inuyasha's upper lip curled back in a silent growl.

"They moved with us," he said.

"So they _are_ drawing us to the village," said Miroku grimly.

"Houshi-sama!" cried Sango in revelation. "An ofuda! We can create a barrier to protect Kagome-chan from the youkai!"

Miroku shook his head in frustration. "No, I have run out of ink and parchment. Ironically enough, I was hoping to replenish my supplies at this next town… They've indeed been watching us, to find us so unprepared…" He took out a small beaded bracelet. "I only have this. This warding talisman is hardly strong enough to create a barrier, but should be enough to ward off any dark force as a last resort."

Sango cursed silently under her breath. "Don't worry, Kagome-chan," she assured quickly. "We'll protect you. I promise."

"Sango-chan…" murmured Kagome. She felt so full of gratitude yet at the same time, so full of fear and guilt. She didn't want her friends to get hurt because of her. It was obvious Onigumo was no normal enemy. And how were they supposed to fight him without endangering Hojo's body? Hojo's life? She knew her friends wouldn't dare try to hurt a classmate of hers, but then… what method did that leave them with?

"Well, I suppose we should head down," Miroku suggested. "I have a feeling the hebi youkai won't attack until we reach the village."

Kagome looked to Inuyasha. He was still staring out at the trees, his back to her.

"Inuyasha?" called Miroku. "Shouldn't we get the battle over and done with?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched and he shifted his head to the side. "I…" he trailed off.

Kagome tightened her grip on Shippou. She never saw this hesitant side of Inuyasha before. Not when a battle was so close. He would usually leap head first into it, without giving any of the dangers a thought! But now… seeing him hesitate was strangely off putting. She reached out a hand to squeeze Inuyasha's arm reassuringly. He brought his gaze down to her, uncertainty on his face.

Kagome smiled. "Let me stay by your side," she said simply.

That seemed to do the trick. In a second Inuyasha turned to face the village and cracked his knuckles. "Fine. We're gonna teach this bastard not to mess with us! Kirara!" he barked. "You're staying by Kagome's side no matter what, got it?"

The fire cat roared enthusiastically.

"Good," said Miroku nodding. "Sango and I will take care of the other snake youkai and keep watch over Kagome as well."

"Sure, do whatever you guys want," murmured Inuyasha as he stared down at the smoking village, a savage gleam in his eyes. "But leave Onigumo to me. I wanna personally waste that son of a bitch."

*****

Kagome gripped onto Sango's waist as Kirara hit the ground beside the furthest hut from the village square. Already the smoke seemed to be clearing away thanks to a hot wind blowing from the south. The fires were reduced to nothing more than feeble tongues of amber licking at broken splinters of wood scattered around the houses. Sango hopped off the giant cat before turning to help Kagome down. She almost fell over in surprise when Inuyasha appeared by her other side, his eyes darting rapidly.

Kagome licked her lips. "The hebi youkai?" she asked.

"Are staying around the edge of the village," he answered, never looking away from their surroundings.

"They probably won't move until Onigumo gives the order," said Miroku quietly.

Shippou jumped from Kirara's back into Kagome's waiting arms as the six of them continued further into the village. A horrible burning smell assaulted Kagome's nose as they walked. Trying to ignore the stench, she looked around despairingly. The same uncomfortable silence she felt in the forest seemed to be amplified a thousand times here. Even with the quiet crackling of the dying fires, the quiet was suffocating. Any second now, they would be attacked. Kagome reached for her bow slung over one shoulder while her other hand held the kitsune child closer. Any second…

They continued their slow pace, unwavering, as they reached the centre of the village. Kirara hung closer to Kagome's left and growled.

"Where are the bodies?" whispered Sango. "With all the hebi youkai, there should be some corpses left over from their breeding…"

"The smoke," said Inuyasha darkly.

"The smoke?" asked Miroku.

"It smells of humans," whimpered Shippou into Kagome's chest. Kagome looked to the dying pillars of smoke. Beneath the small flames, she could make out mounds of bodies, slowly burning away. She nearly chocked. The burning smell was that of human flesh.

They had nearly reached the centre of the town square when the ground began to shake.

"W-What is this?" cried Kagome, clutching the kitsune.

"Something's coming up from below!" shouted Inuyasha drawing out his tessaiga. They watched a large crack split the rocky earth in front of them. Huge rocks burst away from the ground as a large head thrust its way into the sky.

"Shit!"

Pushing Kagome behind him, Inuyasha shoved the sword into the ground before them, deflecting the hunks of rock that flew their way. Kagome cracked an eye open once the earthquake had stopped. She gasped as she saw the gargantuan hebi youkai looking down on them menacingly. It was larger than the one they had fought at the castle. Its red glowing eyes watched them intently as its slimy red tentacles madly twisted around each other, anticipating the taste of blood.

"Hm. So he's just gotten a little bigger. Is that it?" smirked Inuyasha as he aimed his sword. "Fucking get ready."

"Be careful, Inuyasha," cautioned the monk. "The big ones have the ability to reform themselves."

"Keh! I know that! _You_ guys need to watch you're backs; these are probably just distractions!!" he shouted as he leapt forward. He was about to bring down the sword when another crack formed in the ground along side the giant snake. Another scaly head with red mouth extremities burst out of the ground next to its sister.

"There's another one!" cried Sango.

Still stuck in the middle of his jump, Inuyasha had no choice but to change the direction of his attack onto the new foe as its tentacles reached for him. Successfully knocking the second snake back with his fist, he landed and turned to his original opponent. Kagome drew a sharp breath when she saw the hanyou being struck across the chest by the first hebi youkai's tail.

"Inuyasha!" she cringed.

"They're fast, aren't they?" stammered Shippou.

As soon as Inuyasha hit the ground he was up again racing back toward his attacker. "Don't fucking sneak up on me like that!" he shouted, sword above his head.

"KONGOUSOUHA!!!"

The giant snake was torn to pieces while its sister slithered forward ripping the ground into a rocky mess. Inuyasha grinned over his shoulder at the snake that approached him rapidly. It opened its squirming red jaws. In one swift movement, he twisted himself around sliced the head in two with a satisfyingly thick sound.

"Stand back, Inuyasha!" called Miroku as he loosened his rosary beads. In one second the remains were sucked up into the black vaccum of the Kazaana.

Inuyasha knotted his eyebrows together and rested the tessaiga over one shoulder. "That was easy," he grumbled in annoyance. "Why didn't he use that as a chance to attack the rest of us? Pretty lame attempt..."

"Actually," said a horribly familiar voice. "That was just a warm up."

Kagome swivelled her head to look up at a nearby hut. A figure, silhouetted by the dying sunlight, stood on the battered roof staring down at them. Her heart gave the tiniest jump before she reminded herself they were expecting his arrival. She could just make out the confident leer on his face. On Hojo's face. But there was something about his physique that was different…

"Omigumo…," she heard Inuyasha growl. "You sayin' that was just practise?"

Onigumo's grin widened. "Of course, to get you prepared for the real fight. I'm just that sort of generous person." He turned to look down at Kagome. She gripped her bow in quiet anger and returned the eye contact. She wasn't going to be intimidated by some murderous wild-thief.

"Interesting how it's only been a few days," he continued. "Already, I'm thirsty for more _action_. And you, Kagome?"

He chuckled when she narrowed her eyes.

"Bastard!" shouted Inuyasha. "Quit playing around and get to it! How did you do it?!"

Onigumo raised his eyebrows. "Whatever do you mean, you dog bastard?"

Inuyasha gritted his teeth in disgust. "I don't know how you've done it, but you fucking reek!"

Kagome stared at Inuyasha. What did he mean 'reek'? He never said anything about Onigumo's smell before other than he smelt of snake and ash...

Onigumo smiled and leapt off the roof with abnormal human agility and landed ten feet in front of the group, facing Inuyasha. Kagome gasped as she took in his body in the better light.

Strange spikes stuck out of the young man's back. Muscular blue arms with thick yellow claws rested where human arms should have been. Light green scales ran from his neck down over his bare chest, exposed through the loosely tied robe. And glinting in the light, Kagome felt ill to see two fangs set in his wide grin.

"Onigumo…" Kagome breathed. "What have you done to Hojo's body?"

A/N: Ooooh, yes, it's a minor cliffy. Review if you feel the need :) I always love your comments!

Till next time!

GoldenDust


	12. The Entangled Web

A/N: Big thank you to **HeidiBax** and **SimplyIndefinable1992** (three times) for your reviews! You guys made me smile!

Don't own Inuyasha, mmm k?

Chapter 11- The Entangled Web

Kagome stared in fascinated horror at what she thought was her classmate's body. Bulky, blue arms stuck out from the boy's shoulders. His open chest, green and scaly, shimmered in the light. Foreign, thick spikes stuck out unnaturally from his back, his robe torn away from where they ripped through the material. He looked alien. He looked like a completely mismatched monster. Like Naraku after Mt Hakurei…

"Onigumo… what did you do?! What have you done to Hojo's body?!" cried Kagome, trembling.

He looked at her and grinned. His fangs glistened in the orange sunset. "It's nothing major, Kagome. I just did a little redesign."

"You fucking bastard…" growled Inuyasha, sword resting on his shoulder. "You got Naraku on your side! Why do something like this to yourself?!"

"Like you said, Inuyasha," answered Onigumo, his face completely serious. "Back at the castle, remember? I was still 'just a weak fucking human'. But now…" He raised his muscular blue arms to look at them and smirked in triumph. "Let's just say I took your advice. Thank you so much for the suggestion, half breed. However accidental it was…"

Inuyasha gritted his teeth. "So that was that extra stench mixed in with the snake and ash; you smell of fucking youkai!"

"Well, it's not like I can rely on my snake minions forever, right? Besides, it takes a lot of time and effort to grow these little darlings; and I'm usually not one for taking up long boring plans." He started listing with his fingers: "Lets see, finding a lot a people… laying eggs in their stomachs… killing those who try to run away for help… and you know the children!"

He started chuckling. "Usually they sleep through it all, but occasionally, when one wakes up and starts screaming, I just wanna slit the little bastards' throats right there. But my point," he said, scratching his scaled neck with his yellow finger nails. "Is that I couldn't let my beloved army be destroyed in one hit like before, so I've decided to take my safety into my own, now very capable, hands."

Kagome couldn't tear her eyes away from the new Onigumo. Although it was still Hojo's face he was using to talk, it seemed different from before. He still had Hojo's eyes, but they were darker. The same eyebrows seemed to be arched higher, creating a shadow across his face. A sudden thought struck her, making her feel ill; He was changing. The body was changing into Onigumo's own. And soon, Hojo wouldn't even exist physically anymore…

"He's just like Naraku…!" exclaimed a shocked Sango. "He's become-!"

"A hanyou…" finished Kagome.

Miroku, standing by the young miko's shoulder, shook his head in disbelief. "A mismatched hanyou, like Naraku? But how…?"

"There are ways," said Onigumo smugly before trailing off. "If you have enough _desire_…"

Inuyasha's eye twitched in annoyance. "Bastard! Just tell us how already!!"

Onigumo laughed and tapped his nose. "Well, that's for me to know and for you to never find out."

"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!!" screamed Inuyasha as he leapt at Hojo's body.

Onigumo stood watching intently as Inuyasha jumped above his head, tessaiga raised. Kagome's heart stopped when he didn't make any sign to avoid the strike.

"Onigumo! Get out of the way!"

Her plea fell on deaf ears as Onigumo continued to stare, grinning at his attacker. Inuyasha's eyes blazed a furious gold as he brought down the sword in a tenacious swipe. There was a strange, ringing sound of metal clanging against metal. Inuyasha's mad glare turned to one of livid confusion as he looked at the tessaiga resting against the chest of the wild thief. The green scales beneath the blade shone, completely unharmed. Onigumo's grin widened and he turned his head to look at the miko over his shoulder.

"Aren't you glad now, Kagome? Hojo's body was so weak before. Now it can finally protect itself!"

In a flash he swung around his thick blue fist and struck Inuyasha across the cheek. Inuyasha hit the ground with such a force, he was dazed for a few seconds. He couldn't believe something had that much strength behind it! Even for a youkai arm! Shaking his head, he ignored his throbbing cheekbone and struggled to get up.

"Keh! You call that a fucking punch?" he shouted, getting into his stance again.

"Perhaps you should stop talking!" yelled Onigumo as he brought down another blue fist at his enemy. Inuyasha barely had time to leap out of the way as the clenched hand hit the ground where he was a second before. A huge explosion of dust erupted from the sudden impact. Inuyasha stared in shock as the smoke slowly cleared in the evening wind. '_He split the ground. He split the fucking ground with one small fist!_'

Onigumo stood in the middle of the crater, a large crack spreading out from the centre. He clenched his hand in excitement.

"Oh, yeah! I missed doing stuff like this." He turned to Kagome again. "Unfortunately, Kagome, I have to deal with this guy first, so why don't you just wait there like a good girl until I'm done. It might just make things easier for you later…"

Inuyasha thought he felt a vein pop on the side of his head. He charged towards his enemy at break neck speed. "BASTAAARD!" he yelled as he threw a punch into the wild thief's jaw. Onigumo stumbled back, surprised.

"Well, looks like you're fast when you want to be, Jerkoff. Aren't you scared of hurting Hojo?"

"Feh! That guy can't feel anything! Like you said, '_he's sleeping'_." Inuyasha cracked his knuckles. "All I gotta do now is beat you outta him."

"Hm, as impossible as that is, you can try…" He spread his feet ready for the fight. "But there's no way you can even damage me on your own…"

"HIRAIKOTSU!"

Onigumo spun around to see a giant boomerang whizzing straight for him. He narrowly dodged out the way as it spun off the ground and returned to its master. Both Inuyasha and the wild thief looked to the group to find them standing, ready to fight. Kagome pulled back on an arrow knocked into her bow as Miroku clasped his staff next to Sango, who had the bone weapon hanging ready by her shoulder.

"Don't underestimate us," said Miroku proudly. "I'm sure it's very possible if you try to take us all on at once!"

Onigumo raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated. "I have nothing to do with you." He clicked his fingers. "You can play with the others."

Suddenly, Kagome felt a small tremor in the ground. Her head swivelled to the edge of the village, following a strange rumbling noise. There, coming towards them in a massive stampede, were thousands upon thousands of small hebi youkai. The ground was nothing more than a sickly green and red swarm.

"The snake youkai!" cried Shippou, clinging to Kirara's fur.

"There's even more than last time!" exclaimed Sango.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted as he began to run towards her. Something caught itself around the inu hanyou's foot, stopping him in his tracks. Inuyasha looked down to see one of Onigumo's blue arms stretched over ten metres from where he was standing, grasping the dog demon's ankles.

"I'm not done with you yet, _Dog_."

Inuyasha gritted his teeth. He would have to trust the others with Kagome for a while.

*****

Kagome released the arrow at the hebi youkai, wiping out a large chunk of the army. Her eyebrows narrowed when the snakes from the back moved to the empty space she had just cleared.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" shouted Sango, as her weapon took a large swipe of the stampede. Still the swarm slithered forward at an unnatural speed.

"It's not having any effect!" cried Kagome. "There are too many of them!"

"Ladies! Beware! We're surrounded!" shouted Miroku. Kagome and Sango looked over their shoulders to see the monk with his back to them, facing another swarm coming from the other side of the village square.

"Wah! What do we do?" whimpered Shippou hopping nervously on the fire cat's head.

Kirara pushed Kagome into the centre of their party, making sure she was guarded on all sides. Allowing this, Kagome knocked another arrow in her bow and aimed over the torso of the cat.

"Everyone! Try to hold them off!"

*****

"KAZE NO KIZU!!!"

Again, Onigumo jumped out of the way of the attack. Inuyasha hadn't landed a hit yet, but the thief was getting tired. That, or it was the fact that Inuyasha could read the bastard's movements a little better; each time he could get a little closer.

Landing on his feet, Onigumo whipped out his demon arms to an abnormal length. Moving to the side, Inuyasha dodged the first punch before catching the second in his fist and brought down his blade, severing the limb in two. Onigumo's arms shot back to their original length as the wild thief cried out in pain. Cradling the stump in his one good hand, he looked up to weakly grin at the dog demon.

"What's this, Inuyasha? You don't care if you destroy Hojo? What about Kagome?"

Inuyasha's triumphant grin from his successful blow diminished as his eyes darkened. "I ain't falling for that anymore, Onigumo. I don't give a shit what happens to you or the human. If I have to sacrifice him to be sure you'll never get to her, fine by me."

A flicker of panic crossed Onigumo's face, but quickly disappeared behind a confident grin. He chuckled. "You know the great thing about these arms? They belonged to a demon with a very handy technique…"

The flesh around the wound began to bubble like a boiling pot of water. With a sickening gurgling sound, extra pieces of flesh began to grow from the severing, until a perfect, new hand with yellow fingernails was formed. Inuyasha looked at it in disgust. Shit. Just when he thought he had made some sort of impact on his enemy…

Flexing his new hand, Onigumo smirked at the dog demon and cocked his head to one side. "You know, I think I'm at a disadvantage here. You have a weapon, and I don't..."

"Keh! Too fucking bad you didn't think of that earlier, bastard!" Inuyasha spat.

Onigumo continued to smile darkly as reached over his shoulder to grasp one of the spikes protruding from his back. His face turned to one of pure concentration, his mouth in a straight line, eyes frowning. With a sudden jerk and a guttural cry, he ripped the spike out. Inuyasha stared in angry confusion as Onigumo brought the long spike in front of him and examined it. Its base curved into a small handle-like structure that dripped in blood. _'Probably what connected it to the spinal cord…'_ thought Inuyasha grimly to himself.

Onigumo grasped the structure like it was the hilt of a sword and held the spear in the same way as his hanyou rival. "Much better."

With that, he lunged towards Inuyasha and brought down the spike, mimicking Inuyasha's previous move. The inu hanyou had barely enough time to block. He held tessaiga above his head just as the two weapons collided with each other. The blow was so strong, Inuyasha found his feet sinking into the earth as he continued to hold off the attack. Onigumo was stronger then he thought…

*****

The baby snakes continued to get closer.

Every time their comrades were knocked back, more would come to take their place. The group had managed to find some sort of system to keep the youkai at bay. Sango would wipe out a large group trying to get close while Kagome would take out the next ones that tried to fill out the gap in the horde. Miroku would hit those that came close enough with his staff; its holy powers seemed to hold them off for a while.

Kagome reached for another arrow and stopped suddenly. There was only one left.

"They keep getting closer!" she cried. "I've only got one arrow left!"

"We can't keep holding them off forever!" shouted Sango as she caught the Hiraikotsu once more.

"Everyone! Stay behind me!" yelled Miroku over his shoulder as he reached for the rosary beads around his wrist. Ripping them off in one fluid movement, he revealed his bare palm to the snakes in front of him.

"KAZAANA!"

The air rippled and began to suck the mass of hebi youkai into the air rip.

*****

Inuyasha threw off another hit from Onigumo and brought down a strike. The mismatched hanyou took the brunt of the attack on his sword, the impact forcing him to slide back in the dirt. Inuyasha felt warm blood trickle from the cut on his lip. Ignoring the pain of the cuts all over his body, he prepared to charge again when he saw an amused expression on the wild thief's face.

"The monk…" he heard him murmur. Inuyasha flipped his head around to see his friend sucking up the snakes into his palm, the rest standing behind him. It looked like he was struggling. Of course. There was so many of them. Too many youkai at once _would_ be a struggle…

Seeing movement in his peripheral vision, the hanyou snapped his head back to Onigumo to see him reaching into his robe.

"Hmm… so it's time for this, huh?" his enemy said aloud, holding up a small hive in his blue palm. He threw the mottled brown mass to the ground, splitting open one side. A loud humming filled the air before hundreds of sickly yellow wasps flew from the destroyed hive towards the monk.

Inuyasha jumped.

"Saimyoushou! MIROKU!! CLOSE THE AIR RIP!!!"

*****

Miroku turned his head at the sound of his ally to see the pack of poisonous insects approaching. He gritted his teeth and returned his focus on the destruction of the hebi youkai.

"Houshi-sama!! Close the air rip!" cried Sango. He shook his head.

"That's what he wants! I _will_ destroy them all, Sango!" he shouted as the first of the insects flew into the kazaana. They watched, frozen, as more and more of the wasps were sucked up. Miroku's hand began to tremble violently. Thick beads of sweat slid down the sides of his face.

"Houshi-sama! Stop or the poison will kill you!!"

"Please, Miroku!" begged Shippou.

"NO!" cried the monk weakly as he sank to his knees.

"Miroku!! Close it or I'll fucking kill you!!" shouted Inuyasha, who quickly jumped out of the way as Onigumo brought down the spine-sword again, shattering the ground.

"Worry about yourself," said Onigumo, smirking.

"That's enough, Houshi-sama!" screamed Sango as she wrapped the beads around his fist again. He collapsed into her arms. Kagome looked on helplessly as the taijiya cradled the unconscious man in her lap. He was barely breathing.

An amplified hissing, scraping sound brought the conscious part of the group back to reality. The left over snakes were charging madly towards them, fear of being sucked into oblivion gone.

"There's still so many!" cried Kagome in anguish. She was shocked to see the little fox boy bravely jump off of Kirara and face the oncoming swarms.

"KITSUNEBI!" he shouted as streams of blue flames left his fist, wiping out the front row. A surviving youkai leapt out to head butt him in his little stomach. He was forced back, rolling onto Kagome's shoes, knocked out, dizzy swirls in his eyes.

"Shippou-chan!!" gasped Kagome, scooping him into her arms.

The snakes were upon them. Sango beat back the creatures furiously with her weapon while Kirara ripped apart the snakes on the other side. Kagome stood in the centre with their two wounded comrades. Suddenly a hebi leapt up to attach itself to Sango's arm, its furiously red tentacles sliding over the black material of her slayer suit. The exterminator's eyes widened in shock as she watched the suit begin to sizzle and melt beneath the snake's bite.

"Acid?!" she exclaimed. She began to feel the burning sensation of the corrosive on her skin. Realising the true danger, she turned to her fire cat.

"Kirara! Get Kagome-chan out of here!"

Without hesitation the fire cat grabbed Kagome by the collar and pulled her into the air towards the other side of the village square.

"Wait! Sango-chan!!"

Before getting a few metres in the air, the hebi youkai leapt at the flying cat. Kirara struggled to kick them off before more and more latched themselves onto her fur, dragging her to the ground. Thinking quickly, the fire cat threw Kagome and the kitsune to a clear patch of ground.

*****

Inuyasha noticed the spectacle out of the corner of his eye and turned to run to her.

"KAGOME!"

"Don't look away during a battle!" shouted Onigumo as he thrust the spike into the inu hanyou's chest.

Inuyasha stopped dead at the feeling of being impaled. He looked down to see thick red crimson flowing from the wound. Gritting his teeth against the agony, he swung his fist into Onigumo's face sending him flying to ground. Breathing heavily, he roughly pulled the spike out of his chest, his blood splattering on the ground. Throwing the offending weapon away in disgust, he raced towards his friends.

*****

Kagome hastily recovered from the fall and looked up to see Kirara being dragged under the mass of youkai. Without thinking she reached for her last arrow and sent it purifying the snakes off her feline rescuer. She took the short window of safety and ran to scoop up the now defenceless kitten. Holding the two defeated demon's to her chest, she looked around frantically for something to fight with. She gasped as the swarm reached her and lunged.

"KAZE NO KIZU!!!"

The snake youkai were ripped away by the sudden blast. Kagome looked up to watch Inuyasha land in front of her. He seemed unsteady… Kagome's chest tightened as she looked at the smooth flow of blood seeping out of a deep hole in his chest.

"SANGO!!" he shouted. "THE WARDING!"

Sango quickly looked away from her battle with the youkai to reach under her armour and pull out a small sack of powder. Throwing it to the ground, it erupted in a thick smoke screen, confusing the hebi army. Taking the opportunity, she grabbed the small beaded bracelet from inside the monk's robes and threw it in the direction of where she last saw Inuyasha. She then pulled one arm of the monk over her shoulder and ran in the same direction, ignoring the many acidic tentacles of the snakes licking at her feet.

Inuyasha caught the bracelet and shoved it on Kagome's wrist. "He said not to move or it will break-!"

He was cut short by Onigumo smashing into him. He slammed into the dirt, skidding until he finally stopped.

"INUYASHA!"

"Don't move!!" he yelled back at her, clutching his chest with one hand.

Onigumo winked at Kagome before he ran towards his opponent. Kagome watched helplessly as Inuyasha blocked an attack but was struck across the face again, after losing his footing.

"Kagome-chan! Are you alright?!"

Kagome turned to see Sango half jogging towards her, the monk's arm pulled over her shoulder. "Sango-chan!" she said, about to step forward.

"Don't move, Kagome-sama!"

The two girls blinked in surprise at Miroku looking up, exhausted, from Sango's side.

"Houshi-sama! You're awake!" cried Sango. Miroku kept his eyes on Kagome.

"Do not move an inch, Kagome-sama," he instructed through cracked lips. "With this many youkai, the warding will only be enough to hold them off if you make as little movement as possible."

"Houshi-sama!" gasped Sango. "Inuyasha…!"

Heart thumping, Kagome looked over at the vicious fight between the two hanyou.

*****

Inuyasha lunged for Onigumo again. His arms were aching with fatigue. He could smell the perspiration on his sweat-drenched body mix with the blood flowing down his chest. It was bad. He knew it would take days to heal, but pushed that to the back of his mind and focused on slicing the bastard in two this time. As he was about to lay another strike on him, Inuyasha's vision suddenly blurred. He wobbled on his feet for a second before the wave of dizziness passed. He didn't know what the hell that was. Surely he wasn't at his limit yet!

Seeing a flicker of movement, he looked up to see a blue arm whip out and whack him hard on the jaw. He collapsed to one knee and steadied himself with the tessaiga. '_Bastard!_' He lunged for Onigumo again and brought down the sword, only to slice the empty ground. Inuyasha jerked his head around furiously to find out where the quick bugger had jumped to.

A sudden sharp, slicing pain ripped through his stomach causing him to choke out a strangled cry. He wasn't sure if he heard Kagome scream his name as he looked down to his chest. A thick point, glistening with his blood, was sticking out of his torso. Shit. Not again. He heard Onigumo chuckle in his ear.

"You weren't watching your back, were you? Never underestimate how low a wild thief will stoop."

Inuyasha felt the spike yank out of his back, causing more blood to ooze from the gaping wound. He tried to swing his sword around in an effort to catch his opponent before he leapt away. The bastard was too fast. Inuyasha felt another nauseating wave of dizziness and leant on the tessaiga again to keep him standing. What the fuck was going on?! These were nothing but flesh wounds! So why was he about to faint?!

Onigumo's dark chuckles brought him away from his thoughts. "Amazing, these spikes, you know!" he laughed, holding up his weapon dripping in blood. "Not only are they remarkably sturdy, they even secrete their own poison..."

He gestured towards the bleeding wounds in Inuyasha's chest. "Best not to move around so much. You don't want it to spread faster…"

*****

"Inuyasaha!" shouted Sango as she moved to run to his aid.

Onigumo smirked. "Perhaps you should all just sit and watch." He leisurely clicked his fingers.

Suddenly the snakes from within Sango's dying smoke cloud dove out of its murky depths, onto the monk and taijiya. Reacting quickly, Sango held up the hiraikotsu in front of them defensively, just in time to bare the brunt of the attack. The two were slammed back into the wall of a hut on the other side of the village.

"Sango-chan! Miroku-sama!" gasped Kagome. She could see Sango's arms trembling, trying to hold off the youkai as they continued to press them against the wooden hut.

"That's right, don't kill them yet," grinned Onigumo. "I want them to watch. You too, Kagome," he said looking at her. "I want this imprinted in your memory for the rest of your life."

Kagome hugged her two youkai friends tighter and looked at the bloodied Inuyasha. How much more could he take?

*****

Inuyasha got to his feet again, spitting away the blood in his mouth and wiping his chin on his sleeve.

'_Fucking poison? Damn sneaky bastard!_'

Inuyasha dragged in a rattling breath, trying to focus his vision. He wasn't going to lose like this! Not when Kagome needed him! His eyes flickered to his fallen friends before reaching Kagome's frightened face. Inuyasha cursed. He was the only one left now! No way in hell was he going to let this motherfucker touch her!!

"FUCKING DIE!!" he screamed as he put all his effort into one blow with the tessaiga. Onigumo moved to the side in a blur and brought his hands up to encase one of Inuyasha's arms. There was a loud snap that seemed to ring throughout the village. Inuyasha looked down at his broken left arm, hanging limp at his side. He couldn't feel the pain yet. Maybe the poison was killing all feeling in his body. Inuyasha tightened his grip on tessaiga's hilt.

"Feh!" he spat weakly. "You think that's gonna affect me? All I need is one hand to wield a sword."

Onigumo frowned. "Tenacious as ever, aren't we? Perhaps I should just shut you up for good."

His blue arm suddenly whipped out to grab Inuyasha by the throat; the other rammed its fist deep into his gut. Blood spluttered from Inuyasha's mouth.

"Inuyasha!!" screamed Kagome about to move.

"Stay…!" was all he managed to gargle out. Kagome stiffened, torn over what she should do.

Onigumo retracted his arm length to hold Inuyasha's bleeding face to his own. "Did you hear that, Inuyasha?" said Onigumo quietly. "That is the last thing you will ever hear coming from her mouth."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in fury and was about yell an angry retort when the arm around his neck threw him across the other side of the village. He felt himself collide with something hard the second before everything went black.

*****

Kagome nearly dropped Shippou and Kirara in shock as she watched Inuyasha crashing through one hut and into another behind it. The two homes lay in ruins as the huge clouds of dust slowly settled. She could faintly hear Miroku and Sango yelling out for Inuyasha to answer. All she could do was stare blankly at the wreckage. She couldn't think. Her mind seemed to be completely blank. She didn't even notice the silent tears streaming down her cheeks. He couldn't be… He just couldn't…

Onigumo stretched out one hand to shift through the rubble and extract the limp body of the inu hanyou. Laughing loudly, he brought his arm back to inspect his handiwork.

"Pathetic. He actually thought he stood a cha-!"

Onigumo stopped. Slowly, his face became outraged as he looked closer at the lifeless hanyou. His lips curled back over his teeth. "What?! He's still fucking breathing?!"

Kagome let out a shaky sigh of relief and sank to her knees. He was alive. He was alive! He was alright!

Onigumo looked at her darkly before grinning. "Perhaps I should rectify this mistake?"

Kagome's heart leapt into her throat as she saw the mismatched boy pick up his bloodied spike. "One thrust through the skull. What do you say, Kagome?"

"No…!" she gasped putting Shippou and Kirara on the ground.

"No!! Inuyasha!" yelled Sango and Miroku in the distance.

Onigumo picked up the unconscious hanyou by the hair and aimed his strike. "Time to die, Inuyasha," he grinned manically.

"NO!!!" screamed Kagome, ripping the bracelet off her wrist and bolting towards them. Onigumo laughed hysterically as he brought the point down…

"That will do, Onigumo," said an ice cold voice. Onigumo halted.

Everything seemed to freeze in time. Kagome stood motionless in the middle of the battlefield, eyes wide in shock. Did she really hear _that_ voice?

Everyone turned their heads to see Naraku floating in midair, looking down at Onigumo. His mouth was set in a hard line. Kagome's mind raced a million miles per second. She couldn't feel his presence! She checked again to make sure, only noticing the usual evil feeling of youki. _'Why…? Why couldn't I sense him? I can always sense the shikon no tama! He always carries it around with him. Why couldn't I feel him coming?'_

"How…?" she gaped.

Naraku looked at her with dark cold eyes and smiled. "Kagome. I have a proposition for you."

Kagome looked at him confused. What the heck was going on?

"You have a choice," he said. Kagome's mouth went dry.

"A choice…?" she asked nervously. Naraku nodded.

"Either I have your life… or Inuyasha's."

Kagome sucked in her breath. Naraku had been planning this. So this was the trap? To get them in a position where they would have to sacrifice one of their own for the safety for another? How could they not see something as obvious as this?! Kagome's feelings of humiliation were instantly quashed by another more dominant thought: There was a way to save Inuyasha?

"Enough!!" spat Onigumo, raising the spike over the unconscious hanyou's head.

"Onigumo…" said Naraku warningly.

"Naraku, I've been waiting fifty fucking years to kill this bastard."

"Then you can wait a little longer. Why not drag out his suffering for a while?"

Onigumo's eyes narrowed in fury as he stared down at his victim. His raised arm started to shake with restraint.

"Onigumo…" said Naraku dangerously. Onigumo grit his teeth and threw the spike into the rubble of a destroyed hut. Bored, Naraku turned back to Kagome.

"Either Inuyasha dies here, or you come with us. What will it be Kagome?"

Kagome looked to the half demon, bloodied and limp on the rocky ground. There was no question about it. There was no way she _couldn't_ make the decision. She knew her choice would hurt him, but if he could stay alive then…

"I-"

"No Kagome-chan!" cried Sango, still holding off against the hebi youkai.

"Don't do it, Kagome-sama!" shouted Miroku. "Think of Inuyasha!"

"She is," smirked Naraku. Kagome continued looking at Inuyasha's unconscious body and spoke.

"You'll leave him alone?" she asked.

"For now."

She nodded her head as she reached her revolve. For Inuyasha…

"Alright."

"NO! KAGOME-SAMA!!"

"KAGOME-CHAN!!"

"Hm," chuckled Naraku. "Very well. No spiritual attacks now, Kagome."

Kagome felt him appear behind her and braced herself. Something blunt knocked the back of her neck. Her vision blurred and turned to black.

**A/N:** The reason I said last chapter had a minor cliffy is because I thought it was going to be minor compared to _this_ cliffy. I thought this one was pretty major. Or maybe I'm wrong. Tell me what you think!

Word of advice: If you want to write a fight scene, drink Coke! The caffeine is great to get you typing! My fingers were flying over the keyboard after getting stuck for three days trying to write it.

Till next time!

GoldenDust xx


	13. Aftershock

A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner! Please forgive me! THANK YOU **HeidiBax **and **SimplyIndefinable1992** for your comments! Me love you. Seriously.

Don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 12- Aftershock

"_Koinu-chan…"_

The words echoed in his mind, hollow and empty. His little legs stumbled over the ground trying to catch up with the woman with the blurred face, silhouetted in the light. Again and again he tripped and fell but kept getting back up and racing towards her, arms outstretched. He tripped once more and looked up to find himself still an eternity away from her. She was walking towards the light with her back to him. She was leaving!

"Wait-!" he cried trying to get up again. His arms suddenly felt like lead and dropped to the ground in front of him. He watched as his soft chubby hands lengthened into toned muscular ones. A horrifying, maniacal laugh erupted around the darkness.

Onigumo…!

'_That is the last thing you will ever hear coming from her mouth…'_

He heard her scream his name in panic. _"INUYASHA!!!"_

_K…Kagome… _

He couldn't see her. He couldn't smell her. Where the hell was she?

_Kagome… KAGOME!!_

*****

The blackness slowly swam into shades of grey as Inuyasha groggily came round. His eyes hurt, so he kept them closed. As he slowly gained consciousness, he felt the discomfort of an insistent throbbing, pulsing in his skull. He tried to lift his arms, but thought against it; they still felt like lead. Everything was so heavy… He would have liked to have fallen back asleep if it weren't for the muffled voices reaching his ears.

"Kouga, please calm down."

"Calm down?!! How the hell am I supposed to calm down at a time like this?!!"

"Kouga, you said yourself you couldn't find any leads, correct?"

"What the fuck of it?!"

"I'm saying that perhaps you should listen to Sango and try to calm down since there's nothing we can do at the moment. Stressing over something that can't be undone can only lead to the torment of one's soul."

"Don't give me that spiritual crap, monk! I'm already tormented! Kagome's in danger right now! For all we know, she could be-!"

"Inuyasha!" cried a relieved Shippou.

Inuyasha's eyes had whipped open the second he heard Kagome's name. Instantly the memories of his last battle flew into his mind so fast, he was afraid he would pass out again. That's right. Onigumo was now a fucking hanyou, with an indestructible chest, elongating arms and poisonous spikes. That fucking poison… He remembered the hot, searing, tingling sensation that ran down his veins before he began to lose the feeling in his arms. He got stabbed twice didn't he? The scene replayed in his mind. He was looking down at the spear sticking out of his chest when he heard Kagome scream his name.

'_That is the last thing you will ever hear coming from her mouth…'_

Then-! Then... He couldn't remember. What happened? He suddenly became aware of the weight on his bare chest. Staring down at him was the little fox boy smiling in relief, his eyes shimmering.

"Inuyasha!"

"Inuyasha?"

The hanyou was brought out of his daze by his companion's voices. Their muffled words seemed to be clear and sharp now his vision had returned. Shippou moved off his chest as Inuyasha bolted up right. He ignored the feeling of blistering flames pounding under his skin and looked around frenetically. Miroku was propped up against the trunk of a tree, not two metres away from the hanyou, looking like he was almost recovered. Sango, who had changed back into her kimono, knelt next to the monk, healing cuts and scratches all over her face. She was absent-mindedly stroking Kirara who was resting in her lap. On the other side of what seemed to be a small clearing, with his back to them, stood Kouga. The mangy wolf's followers, whatever their names were, sat on a rock nearby, their shoulders slumped.

There was no Kagome. Nothing. None of her scent hovered nearby like it was supposed to. Inuyasha's eyes darted over the clearing again to make sure. His ears twitched trying to pick up the sound of her footsteps. It was then he took in the faces of his companions. Only Shippou smiled at him. The others, behind their looks of relief, had a hard edge to their eyes. What had Kouga just said? Kagome's in danger? Inuyasha tried to swallow, despite his dry throat.

"Where's Kagome?"

The husky words were met with pure silence. Inuyasha held his breath as the entire clearing hung thick with an atmosphere of remorse. Everyone's faces darkened with… sorrow? The hanyou's thumping heart increased its tempo. Miroku raised a hand calmly.

"Inuyasha-"

"Where the fuck is she?!" he barked.

Kouga spun himself around, his face distorted in a startling fury. "SHE'S GONE!!"

Inuyasha felt the words echo in his mind. He willed his lips to move.

"What-?"

"I SAID, SHE'S GONE, YOU GODDAMNED FUCKING HALF BREED!!" yelled Kouga taking one threatening step towards him.

"Kouga-" warned Miroku calmly.

"How-?" croaked Inuyasha.

"NARAKU! NARAKU AND THAT FUCKING ONIGUMO!! YOU FUCKING LET THEM TAKE HER!!"

Inuyasha stopped breathing. It felt like his chest had been paralysed. It was strange. Like he couldn't understand the information for a second. Kagome was gone. Naraku… and Onigumo… _took_ her…?

He bolted to his feet so fast, he nearly fell back down. Sharp pain shot through his body, reminding him of his previous battle. He vaguely noticed his left arm wrapped in Kagome's white healing fabric, along with the rest of his torso, stained in old blood.

"Where are they?!" he demanded, unbalanced on his feet. Miroku looked at Inuyasha sympathetically and shook his head.

"We don't know."

"Then let's get off our asses and find out!!" snapped Inuyasha.

"What the fuck do you think we've been doing the last three days?!!" shouted Kouga. "I've been searching the whole fucking country trying to get a whiff of 'em! All the while your lazy dog turd's ass has been lying down taking a break!!"

Inuyasha grabbed the tessaiga to lean on and slowly began hobbling past his comrades. "Outta my way, asshole!" hissed Inuyasha. "I'll find her myself!"

"You think your half breed nose can pick 'em up?" scoffed Kouga as he watched the hanyou pass. "Don't make me laugh!"

"Shut the fuck up, mangy wolf!" Inuyasha barked over his shoulder, continuing his slow pace. "It's my job to-"

Kouga's fist came slamming into Inuyasha's face, sending him smashing into a tree. Unable to react as quickly as he'd like, Inuyasha pulled himself up with his scabbard to glare at the wolf.

"What the fuck do you-"

"YOUR JOB?! THEN WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU PROTECT HER?!!"

Inuyasha froze. His eyes widened in a look of pure horror as the world came crashing down. His promise… Oh God, his promise to her. He failed her… He couldn't protect her… The hot wave of guilt flooded his body, burning away his will to move. He stood there, resting on his sword, lost in his own sea of regret.

"K-Kagome…" he whispered to himself. Again, Kouga cracked his fist against Inuyasha's jaw, smacking his head back against the tree.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING CALL HER BY HER NAME, LOWLIFE!!" screamed the wolf as he punched the hanyou again in a blind fury. Inuyasha thought he heard the rest of the group cry out for the wolf to stop, but was too busy focusing on the pain to even care. Kouga kicked him into the middle of the clearing and pulled him up by his fire rat to glare in his face.

"You said you wouldn't let anything happen to her again! You're nothing but scum!"

Inuyasha kept his eyes lowered in shame. He couldn't disagree. "Yeah, you're right."

Kouga's face flickered away from mad rage to one of disappointment. He dropped the hanyou and shook his head, scratching behind his ear. "Aw, man! This is great! Now the dog turd can't even fight."

"Well, he put in everything he had!" cried Shippou bravely. "It's not like we ever saw you come to help us with the battle!"

"Shuddup!" flushed Kouga. "I came as fast as I could when I found out I got tricked! What I was following was false trail…" he mumbled.

"So Onigumo even considered what to do with Kouga…" said Miroku thoughtfully.

Inuyasha pulled himself up to sit dejectedly on the ground and stole a look at the others. Miroku and Sango were standing as if just coming out of their stances. They were probably standing like that if they needed to stop Kouga from knocking him out again. Inuyasha almost wished he had.

"What do you mean 'considered'?" asked Kouga gruffly.

"It's obvious," began the monk. "He created that false trail to lead you away from the village in case you tried to interfere with him killing Inuyasha or taking Kagome-sama."

Inuyasha winced to hear her name.

"Well, the bastard did the job," growled Kouga. "By the time I got back, Naraku was just disappearing with her and that freak."

"I can't believe what's happened," said Hakkaku sadly.

"I hope Kagome Nee-san is alright…" sniffed Ginta.

Shippou glumly sat next to the kitten Kirara. "Kagome…"

"Yes, the turn of events are truly terrible," sighed Miroku miserably. "I'm so depressed I can't even caress my dear Sango's bottom."

"Houshi-sama," said Sango, her eye twitching. "You're doing it right now."

"Yes, but it's a sad caress. See how my hand is almost limp?" he pouted.

Kouga got to his feet as Sango gave the monk a healthy slap across the face. "Well, no good sitting and whining here."

"Kouga, you're leaving?" asked Shippou.

"Yeah. I just wanted to make sure dog turd knew what he's done. At least he's suffering now," he sniffed, giving Inuyasha a sideways glance.

"Are you going to continue looking for traces of Naraku?" asked Miroku.

"Feh! Of course, idiot! I can't just sit around and do nothing! There's no way I'm giving up yet!" He turned to his two followers. "We ain't sleeping 'till we find Kagome!"

"Yeah!" "Of course not!" readily agreed Ginta and Hakkaku, a fiery determined look on their faces.

Satisfied with their response, Kouga turned and gave Inuyasha's group a casual salute as he began to run off. "Then I'm off to find her! Dog turd, you better stay outta my way!"

His feet blurred into a whirlwind and he shot away into the distance. Ginta and Hakkaku said their goodbyes, chasing after their leader. Inuyasha tried to get to his feet again, but substituted for a more comfortable position instead; His muscles still whined with fatigue.

"Inuyasha…" said Sango softly. He looked over his shoulder to see her standing beside him. "You've been out cold for three days. How are you feeling?"

'_Apart from feeling like everything's been torn to shreds?'_ he thought. Inuyasha turned back to inspect his left arm.

"I'm fine. My arm seems to be fixed. Onigumo's poison was just really potent."

"You must take it easy for the next few days, Inuyasha," said Miroku sternly. "The poison might still be in your system, probably slowing down your youkai healing powers."

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Keh! I don't have time to take it easy! Maybe you should practice what you preach with that Air Rip of yours!"

"Well, we can't do anything yet until we eat something," smiled Sango. "Are you hungry Inuyasha?"

"Yeah-" he trailed off when he saw Sango extract two ramen cups from Kagome's worn backpack. The small reminder of her triggered a whole new wave of horrible emotions. Guilt, uncertainty, regret, anger, disappointment, anxiety…

He hadn't noticed the others were watching him sadly until he looked up at them from his inner torment. Sango placed the cups on her lap and looked down.

"I'm so sorry. We couldn't help Kagome-chan…"

"If only I had foreseen it earlier!" cursed Miroku through gritted teeth. Inuyasha stared at them. Both were looking away in shame and anger. The hanyou felt a small twang in his heart to see them in pain. It wasn't like he could blame them. They tried their best and they were only human.

"Don't worry about it," he mumbled quietly.

"Inuyasha…"

The hanyou turned to his right to see the little kitsune, his eyes hidden behind his bangs. His straightened arms were trembling. "I'm sorry… I couldn't protect her…," said Shippou sadly.

Inuyasha stared at the fox boy for a second before looking away and ruffling his hair. Shippou looked up, surprised by his reaction.

"You did fine, runt. You did your best. We'll get her back."

Kirara mewled her agreement. The others nodded silently.

Inuyasha looked up to the sky. The sun was directly above them. So they still had half a day left. Hiding the shooting pain in his sides and chest, he pulled himself to his feet.

"We'll have something to eat and then move out," he instructed.

"Inuyasha?" asked Sango.

"Are you sure, Inuyasha?" said Miroku carefully. "You've barely woken up and you want to strain your body more?"

Inuyasha grinned at him, ignoring the throbbing in his cheek and legs. "Keh, I'm already recovered! I ain't just a weak human, you know. Besides, we gotta get searching for her!"

Miroku sighed and slightly smiled. "Alright, I'll get the firewood."

"No, I'll get it," said Inuyasha, walking away into the wood before anyone could protest.

*****

It took a hell of a lot of effort to walk away without limping or showing any signs of pain, but after months of experience, hiding the true extent of his injuries from his friends, he managed get away without any questions. He couldn't take anymore sitting around and needed some time alone to figure things out. As much as he hated to admit it, he could understand how Kouga felt; he couldn't think of anything else but to get Kagome back either. And waiting for lunch to cook was just pure agony.

Inuyasha stumbled along the forest floor picking up decent sized pieces of wood where he found them. Usually he would just cut down a tree and be done with it, but it was hurting just to bend down, let alone to try and get his sword out.

"Fucking poison," he cursed to himself. He found himself in a clearing with a single tree stump lying in the middle. How ironic. It reminded him of the well lying by itself in the middle of the forest. Inuyasha threw the pieces of wood on the stump and began to pace, trying to stretch his muscles.

Dammit! Everything was reminding him of her! As soon as he laid his eyes on the stump, memories of that time they spent together by the well came flooding back. The feeling of her pressed against his chest, hidden away from the world under his arms… He couldn't wait to feel that again. He couldn't believe how much his life seemed to revolve around her. Now she was gone, all he could think about was getting her back again.

It had always been like this. He had always hated the days she went back through the well. A day without Kagome was surprisingly… irritating. Irritating like it was right now! He needed to have her by his side again. He couldn't deny it. That was the only place she was truly safe… But of course, she wasn't safe, was she? No matter what he did, his strength still wasn't enough! Inuyasha spun around and punched into the tree stump, shattering the wood into thousands of splinters.

It was horrible. This feeling of… helplessness. Nothing compared to this. Losing his mother… being ridiculed by humans and youkai… the feeling of betrayal when he thought Kikyou attacked him… All feelings that had ripped at him in the past seemed like nothing in comparison to this. This was torture. Agonising torture of endless streams of questions that he wasn't sure he wanted answers to or not. Where was she? Was she scared? Was she safe?

'_Of course not, idiot! She's with Naraku and the sex crazed homicidal maniac Onigumo. If he lays one finger on her…' _

Inuyasha stopped. Oh God. He could be hurting her right now. There was nothing stopping him. Kagome… Oh God, please, no… Inuyasha felt his knees buckle and gripped onto the stump's remains to keep him from falling. It was all his fault. He couldn't protect her. The one thing he promised and he failed. What if right now she was…?

He stopped his thoughts. No. He couldn't think about it. All he could do right now was get her back. He would get her back, fucking rip Naraku apart and then he would deal with Onigumo.

Yes… Onigumo.

He would rip the bastard's spleen out of his body, slice open his stomach and yank out his intestines. Then he would do something to make sure he could never touch another woman again. Probably shove _it_ down his throat. Of course he would keep the bastard alive and watching until he was finally done with him. Then he would take Kagome back through the well where she would be safe. Perfect.

Inuyasha licked his lips, feeling the primal rage building in his body. Yes, he would savour those screams and the feeling of Onigumo's skull being crushed beneath his feet. He would have to keep Kagome away from all of this, though, and come up with some lie about the death of that Hojo guy… Naraku decided to finish him off! Yeah, that sounded good. Although it would be unfortunate for that kid to be collateral damage, it was still worth it to keep Kagome out of trouble. He was almost looking forward to slaughtering the prick as much as he was looking forward to having Kagome back! He had never hated anyone this much before. Worse than Naraku. Although Naraku was the one to have done all the cruel things to him and his friends, Onigumo was really at the heart of it all. Nothing like this would have happened if that man didn't exist!

Inuyasha felt the hot rage flowing in his blood and forced himself to close his eyes, breathing deeply. Already the adrenaline was pumping, thirsting for revenge. Letting out a deep sigh, he opened his blazing eyes and smirked.

Bastard was going down…

**A/N:** Stay healthy and happy!

Love GoldenDust xx


	14. The Pain of Separation

**A/N:** Once again, HUGE thanks to **HeidiBax**, **SimplyIndefinable1992** and **Rorshock520** for your wonderful reviews! I love ya!

Don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 13- Pain of Separation

Naraku twisted the black glass jar in his fingers and listened to the jewel rolling around inside it.

It had worked perfectly. Kagome hadn't felt anything coming from the shikon no tama thanks to the youki covering fuyouheki jar. Remaining undetected had allowed him to watch the battle closely and pick the precise moment to intervene. Onigumo was furious afterwards when he realised he had merely been the distraction for Inuyasha and his friends, getting them to the point when they had their backs to the wall. He would have been more than satisfied with just killing them all and escaping with Kagome. The fool had his mind too much set on his own blood lust and desires. Of course, Naraku had seen this before he sent the newly made hanyou to do battle with them and used Onigumo's ruthlessness to his advantage. Now he was that much closer to achieving his main plan.

The time pearl.

Of course, any human would have been fine, but you might as well inflict as much damage on your way to power as possible. Namely, separating Inuyasha from Kagome. By taking someone from the group he could see how easy it would be to break them apart. But the best candidate was easily Kagome with her connection to the disgusting half breed. Not to mention her spiritual powers that would come in handy if he kept them under control. And that control came in the form of the threat of setting Onigumo out to kill off the rest of her group. And she knew it was possible. Naraku made sure she got a good look at the tenacity of the wild thief before he stopped him. She was in a checkmate and she had no choice but to follow his orders dutifully or her friends die. And no doubt her group was missing her, especially Inuyasha. The thought of having her near Onigumo must be sheer agony.

Naraku chuckled to himself and stopped to look at the jar before putting it back inside his robes. Thundering footsteps were echoing down the castle's hallway heading towards his room. Naraku got himself comfortable and looked to the door. It was time to mess with his other amusement that was in agony.

Onigumo roughly slid open the shouji screen and fell on his knees in front of Naraku. His blue hands were gripping his hakama so tightly, the material started to rip. The wild thief kept staring at the dark hanyou, drawing in deep breaths through his nose. Naraku watched pleasantly, enjoying the tense atmosphere. His guest finally opened his mouth.

"Naraku!" he hissed. "Why won't you let me near her?!"

Naraku did his best to hide his smile. He loved tormenting this man. "Because there is a time and a place for everything, Onigumo. Besides, I have my uses of her and I can't let your own selfishness get in the way of that."

"Ugh, another plan, is it?" cried Onigumo exasperated. "You can never get straight into it, can you?"

Naraku laughed quietly. "No, there is an art to true torture I have all but mastered. And it requires patience. Something you do not have."

"Hah!" scoffed Onigumo, out of breath. "You act like that's a bad thing!"

Naraku stared at the man quietly and waited. After realising his 'companion' had nothing more to say, Onigumo leant forward, baring his fanged teeth. "Why won't you let me near her?!" he asked desperately.

Naraku made sure to show no sign of emotion, knowing it would send the thief crazy. "Right now I have my uses of her," he said in a dark voice, his lips barely moving. "But how about this…" he leaned forward ever so slightly so that the tension between them thickened immeasurably. "The second I am done with her, she will be yours to do with as you wish."

Onigumo swallowed subtly, but kept his glare focused on the dark hanyou.

"Give this to Kagome and bring her here," Naraku ordered quietly, holding out a parcel.

Onigumo smiled sarcastically. "What? You're letting me see her?"

Naraku smiled back. "You know the stakes if you misbehave. Don't forget, I am the one in control."

Onigumo breathed heavily in quiet anger and snatched the parcel out of Naraku's hand before turning away and storming to the screen.

"I know you're not used to living under another person's control, Onigumo," said Naraku lazily. Onigumo stopped with his hand on the door. "But here's a little motivation for you; the sooner the plan has been completed, the sooner you can have Kagome all to yourself."

*****

Kagome looked around the beautifully decorated room for what felt like the millionth time. Delicate gold and black scrolls hung around the walls, matching the pottery settled on the cabinet on the far side of the room that boasted a beautiful flower arrangement. For a second, she felt like she was back in Hojo's – no – Onigumo's castle. Kagome shifted her legs on the tatami mat and looked out the window. Sure enough the huge, endless, rocky mountains were still there. Immense, dark and foreboding. It had been three days since she had been here and the second she woke, she could tell how high up they were in the mountains. The air was significantly thinner here.

Kagome looked away from the depressing sight of the dark ranges. Three days. She had been stuck in this room for three days. She had no idea why she was here. It didn't make any sense. Naraku hadn't even taken away her shikon shards yet! She tucked her knees under her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs as her mind filled with the same worries she had had repeatedly for the past few days. Was Inuyasha and the others alright? Shippou had been hit pretty hard… Were they worried? Was Inuyasha mad? Kagome put a hand to her forehead. No doubt he would be furious…

Kagome shook her head and slapped her cheeks. No! She couldn't think about that! She knew her decision was going to hurt him before, so she couldn't keep feeling guilty about it! What else was she supposed to do in that situation? Just say no and let Onigumo or Naraku kill him?! What else could he expect her to do?! Stupid Inuyasha!

Kagome's angry thoughts were interrupted by her shouji screen sliding open. She looked up to see Onigumo close the screen behind him, some sort of package under his arm. He never took his eyes off her. Kagome tensed. She had been dreading him coming. Especially since she didn't have her bow or arrows with her in case she needed to defend herself.

"Here, a special delivery," said Onigumo as he threw the parcel on her lap. It felt soft, like there were clothes inside. She looked up, confused. Her clothes were perfectly fine apart from a few tears here and there.

Onigumo caught her look and smiled mockingly. "Naraku wants you to help him. That was the deal wasn't it? Or he sets me on your weak hanyou again…"

Kagome cringed as she thought back to the horrific beating Onigumo gave Inuyasha. She knew he healed fast as a hanyou, but with those wounds? It had only been three days and she doubted he would have recovered fully from that fight yet. If Onigumo went after him now, there was no way Inuyasha would be able stop him.

Kagome looked down at the parcel of clothes and then back up to the mismatched hanyou. Already his face was becoming further and further away from Hojo's. The body was becoming his completely. Onigumo had his arms crossed and looked down at her expectantly. Kagome's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not getting changed in front of you!"

"Well, it was worth a shot," he grinned, baring his fangs. "Don't worry," he said as he walked to the wall in front of her and knelt down, resting his back against it. "I'm not gonna touch you. At least not yet."

Kagome crossed her arms and glared at him. "What do you want?"

"We're not allowed to sit in each other's presence?" Onigumo asked innocently. "I already told you I'm not gonna do anything. Besides…" He paused, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply through his nose. "Since I became a hanyou I noticed what an intriguing smell you have. I haven't smelt it for three days, so I'm just going to stay here for a bit."

Kagome continued to stare angrily at him as he sat with his head against the wall, breathing slowly. She had been so cautious before, she hadn't noticed his erratic breathing up until now. His breaths finally slowed down.

"How did you do it?" she demanded abruptly. He cracked open an eye at her and raised an eyebrow. A silent signal for her to elaborate.

"How did you become a hanyou?" she continued, hoping the answer wasn't what she thought it was. Onigumo chuckled smugly.

"Like I said back at the village; _desire_. If you have enough desire you can bind any pieces of youkai to you. I'm not the same as Naraku. I'm made slightly differently in the fact that I haven't swallowed whole youkai. I've taken the strongest pieces and bound them to my cravings, to _Hojo's_ cravings-"

"Hojo-kun isn't the type to have cravings," said Kagome darkly.

"True, he is surprisingly innocent. You know, the furthest he ever got thinking about you was how plump your lips were. He was always too embarrassed to go any further than that, even in his mind!" Onigumo snickered, lost in his own thoughts. Kagome blushed, a little surprised, a little guilty. She had thought about worse things than Inuyasha's lips. Like his chest, his smouldering eyes, his thick masculine arms…

"So because he was so innocent in his desire," Onigumo continued, bringing an embarrassed Kagome out of her shameful daydream. "When I got control of his soul and thoughts, I had to twist them a little darker. Like Naraku when he bound the youkai together to my original soul because it had that unrelenting, burning desire for Kikyou, I've done the same with my reincarnation's soul."

He lifted up his blue arm and flexed it. "Mind you, my way is better. Only adding pieces of youkai still keeps you in control of it all. Not allowing yourself to be consumed completely. That was a mistake I learnt from last time."

Kagome sat silently watching him as he looked up and smiled. "So you see Kagome, all I had to do was bind the youkai to the gaping, yearning desire of mine and Hojo's."

"Hojo-kun is not the same as you," she hissed.

"And yet we are born of the same soul. How ironic…"

Kagome looked down, lost in her thoughts. How could it be that Hojo was born from Onigumo's horrible soul? Well, it wasn't like she and Kikyou were the same person. Opposites at that. So perhaps it didn't matter what person you were in your past life. When you are reborn, the slate is wiped clean.

"So, do you have any other questions?"

Kagome jumped and looked to Onigumo. "What?"

"Don't you wanna know why he's keeping you alive?" he asked, looking at her almost bored. "Naraku's still the one calling the shots. Even if I've become a hanyou, I'm still no match for that bastard." His eyes darkened and he bared his fangs in a sneer. "But don't worry. I plan on changing that. I was never meant to take orders from some pain in the ass self-made hanyou. I'm meant to live freely like I did when I was alive."

Kagome glared and kept silent, although all she wanted to do was point out that way of thinking landed him burnt and paralysed in Kikyou's care. Instead, she shrugged her shoulders. "He must have some plan for me, that's all I can think of."

"Heh, him and his fucking plans…" cursed Onigumo quietly. He sat staring into space for a moment before standing up and heading for the door.

"He wants you to put them on and go see him. Kanna will take you." His hand stopped on the screen as he turned around.

"You smell good enough to eat, you know that?" With a flash of a fanged smile, he was gone, leaving Kagome absent-mindedly looking down at her package.

'_Inuyasha…'_

*****

"Inuyasha, I've been thinking, I wouldn't worry about Kagome-sama. Naraku usually fears her powers and wouldn't take her away alive unless he has some use for her. Besides, she is a mysteriously powerful young woman and I'm sure she could defend herself if need be."

Inuyasha stared straight ahead and continued his fast pace, sniffing the air around him. Miroku sighed to himself. It was hard to tell if his words had any effect on the hanyou who seemed hell bent on sniffing the entire province by nightfall. They had been going at break neck speed for the past four hours (since they had finished lunch), and Miroku wondered if there was a way to get him to stop some time soon. He glanced at Sango who was walking briskly along his side. She caught his eyes and smiled grimly.

During the three days Inuyasha was unconscious they had made the decision not to tell him about Kagome's bargain with Naraku. Thankfully (well, not exactly _thankfully_), Inuyasha had been completely knocked out by the time Naraku came to offer Kagome the deal: To come with him quietly, or Inuyasha dies. Miroku cringed at the memory and looked at the back of the busy hanyou. If Inuyasha found out about the sacrifice Kagome made to guarantee his safety, the guilt would eat away at him, even more than it was now.

Inuyasha stopped and lifted his head to sniff the wind.

"THERE!!" he shouted as he bolted off into the trees.

"Quickly, Houshi-sama!" cried Sango, hopping onto the transformed Kirara. Making sure Shippou was holding onto his back tightly, the monk jumped onto the cat behind the taijiya. Kirara followed after the red blur and together they streaked their way through the forest.

"Inuyasha!" called Miroku. "What do you smell?"

"Naraku!" he answered. "It's faint, but it's definitely him!"

Before they could exclaim their surprise, Inuyasha sprinted ahead of them entering a clearing. He stood in the middle and looked around sniffing the air. Miroku and the others came up beside him. The monk looked the hanyou up and down.

If he hadn't been travelling with him for so long, he wouldn't have thought anything was wrong. But Inuyasha was standing just a little too hunched over and he was breathing heavier. Miroku saw sweat beginning to form on the sides of his head beneath his snow white hair. _'He still isn't recovered'_ he thought, irritated. He was always pushing himself.

"Naraku, you say?" asked Sango. "He's here?"

"I can't sense any strong youki," said Miroku shaking his head. He felt Shippou tug on his shoulder.

"Miroku, that bush is trying to get away," the kitsune said pointing.

Everyone turned to see a little bush with stubby legs slowly waddle towards the edge of the clearing. Inuyasha took three swift steps and slammed his fist through the top of the bush. There was a gurgled sort of cry as the hanyou lifted his hand out of the leaves, revealing his hand enclosed around the throat of a strange looking animal.

"You! How did you see through my disguise?!" the little creature wheezed.

"You actually thought you would get away like that?" said Miroku surprised.

"You actually thought that was a disguise?" asked Sango.

"You stink like Naraku!" growled Inuyasha holding the creature up to his nose. "Who are you?"

"I-I am but a humble itachi, sir! Nothing more!" he cried.

"A weasel youkai?" murmured Sango as she hopped off of Kirara's back.

"Please O Great Master Inuyasha-sama!" said the itachi placing his hands together, begging. "I have done nothing wrong! Please put me down!"

"Hey! How do you know who I am?!" yelled Inuyasha. The weasel squeaked.

"I- I know everyone! With you is the monk with a hole in his hand," he said nodding towards Miroku. "As well as a taijiya and her cat youkai," looking towards Sango. He pointed to Shippou. "And the little fox who lost his father. You're also supposed to have a miko with strange clothing, but she's not here…"

Inuyasha shook the youkai angrily. "How do you know about us?!"

"I-I know everything I can learn!" he chocked. "That's what weasel youkai do! We gather as much information as possible!"

"Of course!" exclaimed Sango. 'Itachi youkai are famous for their wily ways of gathering gossip for their own purposes. Their techniques allow them to eavesdrop on your conversations without you noticing you're being watched."

"Let him down, Inuyasha," said Miroku raising his hand calmly. "He might be able to help us."

Inuyasha sniffed and roughly threw the weasel to the ground.

"How dare you!" the little weasel huffed, rubbing his behind. "I, the most informed of all itachi youkai and who knows everything and everyone of the youkai kingdom, should not be treated like this!"

Inuyasha lowered his voice. "You wanna be treated by my fist?"

The weasel squeaked and became silent. Inuyasha narrowed his eyebrows. "Why do you smell like Naraku?"

"N-Naraku…?" the weasel repeated. "I have no idea who you're talking about…"

"But didn't you just say you know everything and everyone of the youkai kingdom?" pointed out Shippou.

The weasel began to laugh nervously. "Ahahaha… well, you see…"

Inuyasha, with a vein popping out the side of his head, smashed his fist against the weasel's skull again. "Tell us what you were doing together!" he shouted.

"Eep! Alright! Alright! He was looking for some information!!" cried the itachi rubbing his head. "He was rough about it too…"

"What sort of information, Itachi-sama?" asked Miroku, kneeling down beside him politely. The weasel sighed.

"He wanted information about some sort of pearl."

Miroku's eyes widened. It had to be the time pearl! Was it possible this youkai knew something else about it they didn't?

"The time pearl?" he asked, wanting to be sure. The weasel looked at him and nodded.

"What did you tell him?" asked Inuyasha gruffly, his arms crossed.

"I-I told him that there's only one left… a-and that the size of the pearl determines how far back in the past you go and for how long… and, um… youkai can't touch the pearls without being transported…"

Miroku stopped him. "You said 'youkai can't touch the pearl'. What about humans?"

The itachi looked around nervously and continued in hushed voice. "I've heard rumours that humans aren't affected by the pearl's youkai power."

"Meaning?" urged Miroku. The weasel youkai licked his lips.

"Meaning humans can touch the pearl and not get transported back in time."

Miroku was pretty sure everyone's hearts stopped at the same time. This was it. This was the missing piece to Kagome's abduction! Miroku turned to meet Inuyasha's furious, widened eyes.

"He took Kagome-sama to get the pearl," he whispered.

"Does he have the time pearl yet?!" demanded Inuyasha.

"No-! No one knows where it-!" The weasel froze in mid sentence and clutched his heart. Suddenly, he was guttering and convulsing. His body shook on the ground as he loudly chocked up foam from his mouth. Everyone stood back in horror as the flesh bulged around his shoulder, like something was crawling under his skin. With a horrific tearing sound, a sickly yellow poisonous wasp burst out from the youkai and flew away into the sky. Miroku looked down at the weasel's body, a large gaping hole spreading over most of his chest.

"He said… weasels weren't the… only things… that were… sneaky…" choked the weasel before his eyes locked in place and his breathing stopped. His body slowly started to disintegrate. Miroku bowed his head and gave a quick prayer. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Inuyasha trembling with - what seemed to be- rage.

"It seems Naraku is trying to cover all his bases," said Miroku grimly.

"So he laid an egg inside him…" whispered Sango.

Inuyasha swung his fist to collide it with a tree trunk. Bits of wood splintered off.

"That bastard!" spat Inuyasha shaking. "He's always doing stuff like this! Always messing with people for his enjoyment!"

"As horrible as it was," said Miroku. "At least we know why he took Kagome-sama; he needs her to get the pearl and to keep it until he is ready to use it."

"But surely any human would have been fine!" cried Sango.

"No," said Inuyasha, his back to them. "He likes messing with his enemies, _us_, the most. Besides…"

He didn't finish his sentence. Everyone was thinking the same thing. _'Besides, she is the human Onigumo wants. Two birds with one stone.'_

They stood silent for a minute letting their heads get around the new information.

"Well!" said Miroku stretching his back. "At least now we know what our next step is!"

Everyone turned and looked at him inquisitively.

"What's that?" asked Shippou, still hanging over his shoulder. Miroku smiled heartily the first time in three days.

"We get that time pearl before Naraku does and we're bound to run into him and Kagome-sama!" Miroku raised his fist in excitement.

"I think it's time we visit our friend Housenki-dono again."

**A/N:** And so our heroes are getting back on their feet. And Kagome is temporarily safe from the maniac! Yay!

Again, to everyone who read this chappie: thank you!

xx GoldenDust


	15. So Close Yet So Far

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone who keeps on reading!

**HeidiBax-** Yeah! Creepy guy isn't he? But strangely, he's lots of fun to write! lol! Thank you!

**Taeniaea-** Thank you! :D

**aislin94-** Thank you! I'm afraid I've already written further and it's staying InuxKags, but who knows? I might write an OnixKags in the future if I get around to it ;)

**Rorshock520-** Thank you so much! I love getting reviews like yours! Unfortunately, it might be a bit tense for a while, but you might be happy with it in the end!

**SimplyIndefinable1992-** They're both creepy, aren't they? lol! Thank you!

Chapter 14- So Close Yet So Far

Kagura's eye twitched in irritation.

Another chore Naraku had set her do. _Another _one. Was she ever going to be free of this irritating routine? Naraku, the jerk, had called on her, out of blue, to go initiate the next part of his 'plan'. He even had the balls to taunt her by holding out her heart embedded in his hand again, saying she worked for him and only him. As if she needed a reminder! Everyday being stuck in that stupid castle or running errands for him was another goddamned reminder!

Kagura closed her eyes and relished in the feel of the wind whipping in her hair. Private moments like these were precious. When she could imagine herself going wherever she wanted. When she could focus on the never ending horizon and count the increasing yards of distance she was putting between herself and her 'master'. Of course that dream would always be shattered by the sinking realisation that she would have to eventually return to him.

At least for today she was travelling further away from him than usual. To that Totosai guy's place. So that was where that damned Housenki escaped to… Kagura wrinkled her nose in annoyance as she replayed that escapade in her mind; when she had tried to find that jewel wizard and beat the information of the time pearl out of him. She didn't know how the jerk had escaped, but when she got there, he was no where to be seen! How the hell did he manage to get away without the saimyoushou noticing? Surprisingly when she returned, Naraku didn't seem to care in the slightest that jewel youkai got away, which only made her even more pissed off! Had he sent her away and made her waste her time for nothing?! She could have been using that time for herself!

And then he had the nerve to say today was her chance to make up for the time she let Housenki get away! The bastard didn't even care before! Just said something like _'I thought I could get all the information from another source, but I was wrong'_ or some sort of crap like that. But information wasn't the only reason he sent her out to that youkai blacksmith's place. No. He just wanted to mess with more minds, by showing off his newest ally.

Kagura shivered and looked over her shoulder at the silent girl sitting quietly at the back of her large feather. Kagome. One of the two people Naraku feared the most. Kagura felt her hairs stand on end as she watched the motionless girl out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't being controlled, she could tell that much, but she just sat there, looking down at her lap, an unreadable expression on her face. What the hell had Naraku done when he summoned her? Kagura's eyes swept down the girl's priestess robes. White top with red hakama. Probably to look just like that miko that protected the jewel fifty years ago. Naraku was a cruel bastard. If he would go to all this trouble to dress her like that…

Inuyasha must be at Totosai's.

Kagura felt a twang of pity for the girl, before shaking her head and turning her attention back to the horizon of green and blue. She was experiencing the same feeling of pity she would occasionally feel for Kohaku. _'Turning fucking weak…'_ she grimly thought to herself. The sooner they got the location of the pearl out of Housenki, the sooner they could go and retrieve it. But then once they gave the pearl to Naraku, Kagome would only be handed over to that Onigumo freak. Perhaps, before that happened, she would be gracious enough to end the poor girl's life…

Kagura pushed the thoughts out of her mind and pulled out the little black glass jar from within her kimono. She twisted it within her fingers, lightly brushing over its cool smooth surface. So Naraku didn't need the glass jar made out of the fuyouheki stone anymore. Why else would he have given it to her? Maybe he gave it to her to prevent any stuff ups on this task. Kagura sniffed to herself. She could never know what that jerk-off was thinking. Oh well. At least she could find a way for it to come in handy. It would allow her to get closer to the group without them noticing.

She put the jar back within her robes and focused on speeding the giant feather towards their destination. At least this meeting would prove to be interesting.

*****

"Oh my… So Kagome-sama's been kidnapped…" sighed Myouga sadly.

Inuyasha just nodded once as he stared at the ground, his arms and legs crossed in his usual position. His bangs lightly drifted into his eyes as they swayed in the silent breeze. They sat underneath the tree on the small hill, one side over-looking the grassy field, the other side, a forest. Totosai's mountain rose immensely from the edge of the grassy plain in the distance, the only dark object that could be seen among the bright colours of green and blue. It was a beautiful day and yet Inuyasha could instantly feel everyone's moods dampen as they mentioned Kagome's disappearance.

Deciding they would need everyone together to discuss matters, they had sent Kirara to bring the two old youkai and the jewel wizard to the bottom of the mountain; after all, Miroku and Sango were only human and needed fresh poisonous-gas-free air to live. Again, they sat in their business-like circle, heads bowed in thought or concern. Totosai stroked his beard.

"Well, this is bad news," he mumbled. "So that Onigumo boy has become quite the monster."

Miroku nodded his head. "Yes, you would have thought Onigumo wouldn't have tried something like binding himself to youkai after his experience of creating Naraku."

"So he has become a new being entirely?" asked Myouga, perched on Housenki's shoulder.

"No, he was still Onigumo!" cried Shippou, sitting next to the monk.

"That's just it," said Sango. "He seemed completely conscious of his actions, like he was in complete control. It wasn't like how it was with Naraku when a new personality was made all those years ago."

Myouga folded his arms and closed his eyes in thought. "Hmm… this _is_ strange. I thought Naraku was a special case on his own; I hadn't come across any other hanyous like him. But this Onigumo now…" He opened his eyes and frowned. "The very idea of a human taking youkai to make him stronger and still remain in control-! This Onigumo is indeed a terrifying being!"

Totosai turned to Miroku. "So then Naraku came and took Kagome, you say?"

"Yes," said Miroku solemnly. Inuyasha closed his eyes at their words and involuntarily thought back to the last time he saw her face. He was on the ground, underneath a sneering Onigumo with Kagome standing helplessly away from them. Her eyes were wide with fear, her legs poised to run to him, her mouth screaming his name. Before his torturous thoughts went any further, Inuyasha ripped his mind away from her and focused on the words coming out of Housenki's mouth.

"Did Naraku say why he took Kagome-san?" he asked in his gruff voice.

"No," said Inuyasha, eyeing the jewel making youkai as a low growl began to rumble through his chest. "But we have an idea why."

"Housenki-dono," began Miroku. "Have you indeed given us all the information of the time pearl that you can remember?"

Housenki looked surprised and nodded. "Yes, of course. Why do you ask?"

"You sure about that?" challenged Inuyasha dangerously. A Buddhist staff landed on top of the hanyou's head with a large _thwack_. The said hanyou turned to glare daggers at the monk while rubbing the sore spot on his skull.

"Now, now Inuyasha. Let me explain it to him." Miroku scolded before he smiled apologetically at Housenki. "We have reason to believe that the time pearl is the reason why Naraku has taken Kagome-sama."

"The time pearl?!" exclaimed Myouga.

"Just the other day we came across an itachi youkai on our journey," explained Miroku. "It turns out this weasel gave some very important information to Naraku about the time pearl. Of course, shortly after telling us what that was, Naraku had one of his bugs eat a hole in the weasel's chest, killing him off to cover his tracks."

"What did he tell you?" asked Housenki, seemingly intrigued.

"He said humans can touch the pearl without getting transported back in time!" barked Inuyasha angrily. Everyone in the group stared at him, a little taken aback. Housenki blinked.

"Humans can touch the pearl?" he repeated.

"Keh!" snorted Inuyasha as he flicked his head and eyed down the large youkai. "So is it true or not?!"

Everyone leaned in, eager for his next words. Housenki looked down in thought before raising his eyes to the glowering hanyou.

"I have no idea."

Inuyasha's mouth dropped, his ears flattening back, his eyes wide in shock. That wasn't the answer he was expecting. "Whaddaya mean _no idea_?!" he yelled.

"I have never heard of something like that," explained Housenki. "Father was the only one to have used the pearls and he was a youkai. I haven't heard if he experimented on humans or not." He stroked his chin. "Did the weasel say why humans can't use the pearls?"

"He said something about the youkai power not affecting humans," said Miroku. "You really have never heard of this?"

"No, but now you say it, perhaps something like might happen. What do you think Myouga-sama?" he asked turning to the flea on his shoulder.

"It's impossible to say," pondered Myouga. "But I wouldn't be surprised; humans sometimes have problems within intense youki."

"So it _is_ possible?" urged Shippou nervously. Sango rubbed the little kitsune's head and shushed softly to calm him down.

"If it's never been tried before, it could be very possible," agreed Myouga. They were suddenly interrupted by swift, strong gale that seemed to fill the field. For a second Inuyasha thought he smelt something wonderful, but it was gone in a heartbeat before he could be certain. The leaves of their large tree rustled loudly before calming down to their usual soft sway. Totosai, looking up in confusion, scratched his head and resumed the conversation.

"So, you stuffed up. What you gonna do now?" he asked Inuyasha, unconcerned. The hanyou scowled at the blacksmith's tone before looking away into the distance.

"We find the time pearl first and get Naraku to come to us," he growled.

"That's partly why we came to see you Housenki-dono," said Miroku, bowing his head in respect. "I'm afraid we need more information if we are to find it. Are you sure you can't remember what kind of ruins you dropped the pearl in?"

"Yes, of course I can. They were ruins of an old abandoned castle," Housenki stated factually. Miroku smiled weakly and lightly chuckled.

"I see. And why didn't you tell us this before we set out on our search?" he asked pleasantly.

"Oh, I didn't tell you that?" said Housenki blankly, scratching his ear.

Inuyasha felt a very large vein pop on the side of his head. "WHAT THE FUCK?!" he roared. "You realise we were stopping at every single fucking ruined village, shrine or temple we came across trying to find that fucking pearl and you're saying it's in a fucking _castle's_ ruins?!!"

"Sorry, I guess I thought I already told you," replied the jewel wizard. Grinding his teeth together, Inuyasha reached for his sword when the Buddhist staff cracked against his skull again. Taking the opportunity of Inuyasha's immobility ("Inuyasha, are you alright?" asked Shippou, poking an unconscious hanyou) Miroku turned back to Housenki.

"Can you tell us anything else, Housenki-dono? Like perhaps you've remembered roughly where these ruins are or anything else like that?"

"Well, it was fairly far to the west from my home," remembered the giant youkai. "And for some reason that human royal family left the castle. I don't know if they died out or if they left it, but no one goes there anymore from what I've heard, so I thought that would be the best place to hide it. That's everything, really."

"Well, if that's all, I guess we should head off and start searching every castle ruin we come across," said Miroku standing up and dusting off his robe. Suddenly a mighty gale picked up again, blowing everyone's hair into their faces.

"I'm afraid that answer isn't good enough, Housenki," said a familiar voice that seemed to surround the hilly fields. Inuyasha leapt to his feet, hand on the tessaiga and looked around trying to find the location of the voice. Miroku and Sango joined him, gripping their weapons.

"Come on, Housenki," the low, smooth voice taunted. "Surely you can remember better than that."

Inuyasha jumped as recognition sunk in. "Kagura!!"

A blur darted from above the tree line and landed, crouched in front of them, the wind circling menacingly it. "Yo," Kagura greeted casually.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" snarled Inuyasha. He felt sick as he took in her repulsive stench. He couldn't stand her smell right now. _Naraku's_ smell. For the past few days anything that reminded him of Naraku made him want to go into a blind rage. Ever since Kagome had been taken, it seemed Inuyasha's hatred for the dark hanyou had only been amplified by a hundred times over.

Kagura smirked and closed her fan. "Oh nothing. Just here to find the location of the pearl, that's all. It seems everyone's out to get it these days…'

Inuyasha's chest rumbled in a warning growl as she regarded the group of humans and youkai. Her eyes landed on Housenki and her brows furrowed. "Now are you sure you can't remember anything other than that?"

Housenki gulped and tried to speak strongly. "Of course! I've told them everything I know, but that wasn't meant for your ears!"

Kagura looked the youkai up and down. "So I suppose that's it. Oh well, I guess I could exterminate you for good measure…" she said as she raised her fan slightly.

"Don't even think about it!!" shouted Inuyasha as he leapt towards the sorceress, his hand spread in preparation to rip open her wind pipe. "SANKON-!!"

A sudden flash of light streaked from the forest line to land in front of Kagura who was watching the hanyou intently. A large explosion ripped apart the ground where the light hit, forcing Inuyasha to leap back in alarm. Kagura simply stood still, over flowing with confidence as the blast died away. Landing away from the demon woman, Inuyasha noticed the edges of his sleeves were charred with… purification power?

A delightful scent suddenly filled his senses, jerking his head up towards the forest line where a slender figure slowly emerged. She walked slowly and carefully, another arrow knocked in her bow. Her eyes showed nothing but the gleam of quiet determination. Inuyasha's eyes swept over her white sleeves and red hakama. He would have nearly mistaken her for Kikyou if it wasn't for her blissful scent.

"Kagome!" cried Shippou excitedly over Sango's gasped 'Kagome-chan-!'

"Kagome!' Inuyasha cried with elation and worry as he took a step forward. Kagome's eyes widened and she quickly released the second arrow, exploding the ground in front of the half demon's feet. Inuyasha took a step back, surprised.

"Kagome? Why are you-?"

"You realise that nothing you say is going to have any effect," said Kagura almost bored. Inuyasha's head snapped to her. Kagome had never aimed an arrow at him unless she was being possessed! So that had to mean-!

Inuyasha's face distorted in seething anger. "Why you-! How dare you use Kagome like this!" he roared.

"Oh relax," said Kagura dryly. "It's not like we're controlling her."

Inuyasha looked at her confused. Not controlling her? Then -? "What?" he demanded gruffly.

Kagura smiled and tapped her fan against her chin. "She's doing this by free choice, of course. I'm surprised they haven't told you yet." She nodded towards Miroku and Sango.

A little thrown back from that comment, Inuyasha missed the pleading look Kagome sent in the monk and taijiya's direction. The hanyou quickly refocused on Kagome as she poised to release the next arrow. She looked at him with some sort of fire glowing in her face. Yeah, she definitely wasn't possessed. Her eyes were alive. She knew who he was and she was still aiming at him. He watched her hands begin to shake from stretching the bow. One slip and the arrow would hit him. He was much too close to get out of the way and he knew that Kagome had become skilled enough to hit any target within this range.

Unless of course, she would deliberately miss him this time like she did twice before just now…

"You won't shoot me, Kagome," said Inuyasha in a commanding voice. Again her eyes widened in what seemed to be… panic? He watched as she swallowed twice and began to open her mouth.

"Of course she won't shoot you," interrupted Kagura before the young miko could say anything. "That wasn't part of the deal. She's only here for the pearl." She lowered her voice. "If you want to play with someone, I'm your lady. But you might have to wait till next time; our time is short."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed at the incarnation. "What _deal_?"

Kagura simply shrugged and raised her fan. "Perhaps you should ask your friends."

A sharp wind picked up around them with such incredible force, the youkai and humans had to shield their eyes from the leaves and dust. Inuyasha pulled his sleeve away from his face to see Kagura and Kagome on the typical large feather above them.

"Well, it's been fun, but we've got what we came for," called Kagura giving a small salute. "Maybe we'll see each other during the hunt sometime!"

"KAGOME!" shouted Inuyasha. He desperately leapt after the lightning fast feather. "KAGOME!!" Already they were miles away from him. "KAGOME, I'LL SAVE YOU! KAGOME!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

He stared helplessly as the feather disappeared on the horizon. He barely realised he was shaking with rage as he brought his trembling hand into a fist and sent it slamming into the ground. Dammit! He had finally seen her after all this time! And for such a short period! Already her scent was completely gone, driving him closer to madness again. Placing her in front of him then ripping her away was pure agony! That bitch Kagura really put all the speed she could into that getaway!

Inuyasha forced himself to take a deep breath. Of course, Naraku knew what this short reunion would do to him. That miko outfit that made her resemble Kikyou said it all. No doubt trying to torture him with the idea that he was about to lose another woman to that Onigumo bastard!!

Inuyasha turned to stare at Miroku, Sango and Shippou in a murderous glare.

"I think you have something you want tell me?"

*****

Kagome looked down at her trembling hands in silence and dragged in a shaking breath to calm her nerves. She had done it. She had actually managed to face off against him without crying and running back to him like a snivelling little girl. Restraining herself from doing that had been the hardest thing she'd ever had to do in her life. And boy was she glad it hadn't lasted that long!

On their way over here, she had tried her best to prepare herself for seeing him again. She had kept her eyes focused on her lap and tried to think of all the possible scenarios that might have taken place. She was so enrapt, the trip hadn't seemed long at all. She hadn't realised how rigid she was sitting until they had gotten off of Kagura's feather and crouched behind the trees of the forest.

She was a little relieved, in a strange kind of way, when she found out Miroku and Sango hadn't told Inuyasha about 'the deal'. Not knowing about the choice she made meant he would be spared from that extra bit of guilt that would be added to the large pain he would probably be feeling right now. Poor Inuyasha. he looked so worried when he called out to her today and hearing him scream her name as they left made her feel sick in her stomach. He had incredible pride when it came to her protection. Of course that pride would probably be shattered now thanks to Kagura's words. No doubt he was beating the information out of Miroku right now…

She had almost given in when he had looked at her with that gaze again and told her she wouldn't shoot him as if it were a fact. At that moment, Kagome had frozen from fear he had figured out why she was working with Naraku. Thankfully, Kagura must have sensed her panic and intervened saving her from having to say something. Kagome paused for second before looking up to the youkai woman, who was facing towards the blue sky.

"Kagura?" Kagome timidly called over the wind. "Thanks for answering for me. I don't think I could have spoken back there."

She watched as Kagura looked back at her out of the corner of her eye and sniffed.

"Don't thank me."

**A/N:** Till next time! xxGolden Dust


	16. The Race Begins

**A/N:** Many thanks to everyone:

**HeidiBax-** Thank you!

**inuyashaxkagome321-** Ah! You're right, you were so close! Thanks for reading!

**SimplyIndefinable1992-** The Kagome shooting at Inuyasha thing was really just to protect Kagura and prevent a fight breaking out. She never actually meant to harm him. As for his glare, she just finds herself drawn to him, and finds him attractive like that. At least, that's the whole idea behind it. Lol!

**Rorshock520-** Yeah, I always liked Kagura too! Thanks for the review!

**Cougiecat-** lol! Someone's been reading all the clues! But I'm not saying anything yet :P Thank you for reviewing!

Inuyasha no mine.

Chapter 15- The Race Begins

He was going to die. Oh God, was he going to die. Despite everything he'd faced in his life (dealing with the impending doom of the air rip, fighting off giant praying mantises, enduring the excruciatingly painful experience of Naraku's shouki) Miroku was sure that this was scarier than anything life had managed to throw at him so far. Well, apart from an angry pre-menstrual Sango (which, in some strange perverted way, he didn't mind too much).

The monk kept his eyes lowered to the red hakama sitting a few feet in front of him, hoping this was not one of his last moments on earth. He felt a shiver go down his spine when he heard the quiet rumbling stirring in the hanyou's chest. Strange how it had suddenly become the most threatening, terrifying sound he could possibly imagine right now.

He, Sango, Shippou and Kirara sheepishly sat in a straight line opposite their red-clad friend (well he hoped he could still call him 'friend') as Inuyasha silently stared at them from under his bangs. Miroku saw Totosai, Myouga and Housenki sitting on the other side of the grassy hill out of the corner of his eye, away from their personal meeting. However, the word 'personal' could hardly be used to describe the situation. What with the three old youkai eagerly leaning in, watching, waiting for when the hanyou would erupt.

But still it was totally silent.

Miroku thought he would risk checking to see if Inuyasha was still glaring at them with murderous intent, but instantly gulped and glued his eyes back on the red hakama when he met furious, humourless, topaz eyes. Miroku felt sweat trickle down the back of his neck. How much more of this silence could he take?!

"A deal," rumbled Inuyasha. His lips barely moved. Miroku almost wept with relief until another thrill of fear reached his stomach from the hard tone of the hanyou's voice.

"Yes," he nodded back.

"Naraku came and made a deal with Kagome," spoke Inuyasha, low and raspy, saying each word slowly and carefully. "That if she didn't go with him, he'd let Onigumo kill me."

Miroku couldn't think of anything else to say but "Yes."

Inuyasha sat in silence, breathing heavily through his nose for another painfully long moment. They could feel him about to snap. _'Oh God, here it comes'_ grimaced Miroku as he closed his eyes for the sudden explosion of fury. Inuyasha suddenly sprung to his feet and twisted himself around to face the wide green field.

"KAGOME YOU STUPID BITCH!! WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!!?!"

The monk stared at the fuming hanyou's back for a second before he registered the outburst wasn't directed at him. "Calm down Inuyasha, it wasn't her fault!" he said sternly as he rose to his feet.

"And you!" shouted Inuyasha as he rounded on the monk. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

"Because Kagome didn't want us to!"

Inuyasha's head snapped towards Sango who jumped at his expression and awkwardly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she stuttered on. "Well, we didn't know this at first; we just went on our gut feeling that she wouldn't want you to know. But here today, she shook her head at us! She never wanted you to find out because she knew how much it would hurt you and worry you!"

"Yeah!" agreed Shippou quickly who had yet to say anything. Of course, he was quickly shut up from the death glare Inuyasha sent at him.

"Hurt and worry me! Keh!" Inuyasha scoffed. "How stupid! I'm already fucking-!" He suddenly froze as he stopped mid-sentence. "Stupid bitch…" he mumbled as he turned away from them. Miroku sighed and looked to Sango who gave him a sad face in return. Suddenly, Inuyasha flicked his head back around to face them with renewed tenacity.

"So he's using _me_ to hold her to ransom?!!"

"He's using all of us Inuyasha! If Onigumo comes he will kill all of us off too! I'm sure Kagome is also keeping that in mind!" cried Miroku. Although he was sure this was true (to some extent), he knew Kagome was thinking only of Inuyasha when she made the deal with Naraku. Still, best to try and share the idea of being burdens to Kagome, instead of Inuyasha shouldering it on his own. At least it would lessen Inuyasha's guilt a tiny jot, if anything.

Inuyasha's shoulders slumped forward as he looked helplessly to the ground. "She's gone to him…" he murmured quietly. "… put herself in that bastard, Onigumo's hands… because… SHE THINKS I CAN'T HANDLE HIM?!" he roared at the end.

Miroku sighed. Okay. So the guilt wasn't showing itself just yet. Right now, he was just pissed. At least he could handle that.

"Inuyasha, she was only thinking of the best way to protect you," argued Sango.

"So you don't think I can handle him either?!" he shouted at her, cracking his knuckles dangerously. "Next time we meet, I'll fucking rip that guy apart!!"

Totosai's ears perked up from his position away from the scene. "Oh, will you now? It was my understanding you were brutally bashed half to death the last time you saw Onigumo."

"Shut the fuck up and stay the fuck out of it, old man!!" shouted Inuyasha.

Totosai shrugged and stretched out his stiff shoulders. "Alright, fine, you go run head-on into battle, but it was that attitude that got Kagome kidnapped, you know."

Inuyasha suddenly stilled, mouth half open as Totosai's words hit him. The fiery anger died in the hanyou's eyes instantly, replaced with a guilty, longing expression. Inuyasha looked away in shame, his trembling hands in fists.

"Totosai-dono!" cried Sango, exasperated.

"What? It's the truth!" said Totosai simply as he picked wax out of his ear. There was a short pause as everyone tried to think of something to say. Finally Myouga broke the tense atmosphere.

"So… Inuyasha-sama, where shall you go now?"

"I think that's obvious," muttered Inuyasha quietly after a while, still looking away from the group's watchful eyes. "We're gonna scour the lands to find that castle ruin. Housenki," he said, finally raising his head to face the jewel making youkai. "You said the ruins were a long way to the west from your home?"

Housenki nodded. "Yes. A long way to the west. That I do remember."

"Then we'll head to your home first and get our bearings from there. Miroku! Can you call on Hachi and tell him to meet us there?"

Miroku opened his mouth in surprise at the sudden change of attitude in the hanyou before stuttering out his answer. "Uh, y-yes. That I can do."

"Good. Totosai!" he barked. "Give us your supplies, old man."

"What! That's not fair!" Totosai whined.

"It's the least you can do for being such an ass all the time!" shouted Inuyasha.

As they continued bickering over the senile old man's selfishness and the young half-demon's non-existent manners, Miroku felt a small smile grow on his lips. Realising he was being watched, the monk turned his head to meet with the kitsune's concerned eyes.

"What's so funny, Miroku?" he asked, climbing up the monk's shoulders. Miroku shook his head, the grin widening.

"Oh, nothing. Just glad to see the fighting spirit back in Inuyasha. You saw for yourself these past few days what being away from Kagome does to him."

"Mmhmm,' agreed Sango as she came up beside Miroku. "He's been so down lately. But as hard as it must have been, it seems that seeing Kagome was good for him. It has given his strength back."

Shippou cocked his head to the side. "Strength? He's just become obnoxious again! Honestly, he's more of a kid than I am!" The little fox was cut off with a loud _'oof!'_ as Inuyasha gave him a healthy whack across the skull.

"Who's the obnoxious one, huh? You little brat…"

"So Inuyasha, are we ready to leave soon?" asked Sango as she slung her hiraikotsu across her shoulder. The hanyou shrugged and walked pass them down the hill.

"Yeah, the old man ain't handing anything over, the selfish bastard…" he muttered. The group ignored Totosai shouting something that sounded like "See if I ever help you again, you little ingrate!" on the other side of the hill as they readied themselves to leave. Miroku bowed deeply to the three youkai.

"We thank you most gratefully for the information, gentlemen. And rest assured Housenki-dono, we will find and return with the time pearl before Naraku manages to get his hands on it."

Housenki waved away the monk's words. "The pearl isn't as important as finding Kagome-san. Even if you just return with her that will be enough to ease the guilt."

Smiling and nodding, the monk waved one more time before turning his back and treading down to the flat ground of the field where his half demon friend waited. As Sango, Kirara and Shippou came down to stand beside them, Miroku turned to Inuyasha.

"Well, Inuyasha, let's go get Kagome."

Inuyasha didn't blink, but nodded once and began running towards the jewel youkai's lake as his companions followed behind, riding on Kirara's back.

*****

Kikyou frowned at the strange aura emanating from beyond the trees.

It had been a while since she had detected the odd feeling, resulting in her taking a detour from her planned journey. Walking silently through the trees, the dead miko kept her eyes focused on the foliage ahead, keen for any movement or noise as she neared her point of interest.

The aura was intriguing. It almost felt like she knew it. Like she had felt it before. Except it was, in a way… different. She was at a loss of words to describe the unsettling feeling properly. The Shinidama-chuu floated close by her side as she paused mid-step.

"…doing here?"

Kikyou stared expressionless (though her mind worked furiously) as she caught the end of someone's sentence. It sounded female.

"Just came to see how you doing. You can't honestly say I'm not allowed to check in on things, can you?"

Kikyou's eyebrows pulled together in mild confusion. A man? Something about that voice of his… She quietly took the few remaining steps to hide behind a large tree, her back to the trunk. Peering over her shoulder she could finally see the two people having the conversation. Well, perhaps not _people_. They weren't human, judging from their auras.

Kikyou's eyes landed upon a woman with red eyes and instantly recognised her as the incarnate youkai Naraku made. She was the wind sorceress wasn't she? Kagura…

"Having you 'check' on us isn't going to do anything but slow the plan down. And we know you aren't checking on us for Naraku's sake. Can't you just hang back at the castle like a good little boy?" spat the wind youkai.

Kikyou's eyes darted over to the other side of the clearing to see the man facing the Kagura woman.

He would have looked a handsome young man if it were not for the strange youkai features he bore. He had muscular, bright blue arms that looked far too big for his slim physique. Odd, sickly green scales lined his chest and sharp, alien-looking spikes protruded viciously from the boy's back. And yet he didn't seem a boy. His juvenescent round eyes seemed to dull with black menace. The kind of eyes that had seen and done all the horrors of the world… and thoroughly enjoyed it.

His aura… This was the aura that had drawn her here. This nostalgic, yet unfamiliar presence of his. It was dark, foreboding, and radiated nothing but malice. The male youkai's eyes gleamed as he spoke.

"You know perfectly well Naraku and I are running different parties here, Kagura, so of course I don't need to check on you for _Naraku's_ sake. Besides, shouldn't you show more respect? After all, you wouldn't be here if it weren't for me …"

The dead miko frowned again. He had some close connection to Naraku. How surprising. And yet they were working separately. But for the same purpose, by the sound of it…

"Hm!" scoffed Kagura, holding her fan up to her chin. "Why should I show some lowly hanyou-wannabe my respect when Naraku doesn't even get it?"

So the man was a hanyou. …like Naraku?

The hanyou chuckled to himself, baring his long fangs. "My, Kagura, always one to pick fights aren't we? I merely came to check on you, see if I can offer any assistance, and you want to rip out my throat."

"Offering assistance?" asked Kagura dryly. "There's no need to be that _generous_. We have an idea of where it is and were on our way over there when you interrupted us to satisfy your curiosity. So if that's all you came for, we'll be on our way, your _highness_."

"I'm hurt, Kagura!" smirked the strange hanyou. "You think I just wanted an update on the plan? No, I care about you ladies too. Besides, I just wanted to make sure my lovely woman was coping fine on her first mission."

Kikyou saw his eyes move to someone standing behind Kagura, but the wind sorceress was blocking them from the dead miko's view. The hanyou stared at the person beside the wind youkai for a moment before speaking again.

"How is everything going, Kagome-chan?"

Kikyou had to stop herself from jerking her head in the direction of the hanyou's sight in case her sudden movement caught their attention. Were she breathing, she was sure she would have stopped in that one second. The dead miko watched as the wind youkai shifted restlessly, taking a few steps forward, revealing her companion to Kikyou's shocked eyes.

Her reincarnation stood motionless, staring at the hanyou with a subtle look of anger, pity and repulsion. Despite the girl's unwavering gaze, her discomfort was evident through her slightly hunched shoulders, clad in the white material of a miko's uniform. Kikyou's eyes darkened as she took in the red hakama, the bow strung over the girl's shoulder and the shikon shards glittering in the vial around her neck.

Why was Kagome here? She was… with Naraku?

"Is Naraku treating you well? He's not working you too hard?" continued the hanyou man as if the long silence hadn't occurred.

"He's treating me fine," replied Kagome blankly.

With those words of clarification, an intense surge of anger coursed its way through the dead miko's body; a feeling she had rarely felt before as she continued to listen.

"Such cold eyes!" sighed the man over-exaggeratedly. "But I'm being honest with my concerns; I don't want him to wear you out by the time I get my alone time with you."

Kagura snorted. "If you've got anything else to talk about apart from your sex drive, please tell. If not, get the hell outta here and let us get on with our job."

Kikyou's mind drifted away from the conversation as she digested the information. Kagome was working for Naraku… What she heard just now showed Kagome was indeed working on Naraku's side!

But there was no way Naraku would have her working for him if she ran the risk of purifying him! He knew better than anyone what the girl could do. But her _words_…. Their conversation… Kagome had turned to the other side! Then, to have her working under the dark hanyou, Kagome's heart must have become tainted. Which must mean…

She had lost her purification powers, allowing her to become a pawn of Naraku's.

Kikyou's eyes narrowed at the girl as she felt disgust squirming in her throat. How dare she? The new protector of the Shikon no Tama had let herself become tainted. And there was no way that could have happened without her wanting to become contaminated. Her reincarnation was too strong for that! Had she no honour for duty? And turning to Naraku of all people!

Deciding to retreat before her enemies dispersed, Kikyou silently turned away from the scene and headed back from the direction she came from. If Kagome was now working for Naraku, she would most likely pose as a threat to the purity of the Shikon no Tama.

The vision of the shikon shards in the glass vial around Kagome's neck suddenly formed in Kikyou's mind, causing her to pause in her thoughts.

Kagome still had the shards. If she had come in contact with Naraku, why did she still have them? If she was now Naraku's underling, why were the shards not tainted?

Kikyou's eyebrows furrowed. Of course… the tainting process might be extremely slow. Yet it would only be a matter of time, especially under Naraku's watch, before their purity would be overcome with evil. It was then the miko reached her resolve.

Since Kagome had failed in her duty to protect the Shikon no Tama, then she, Kikyou, the original and rightful protector, would step in and do what was right. Namely, eliminating all dangers to the Shikon no Tama.

Kikyou glanced over her shoulder in the direction of where she last saw her reincarnation. A twinge of apprehension struck at her heart before she pushed it away and continued on, her mind set firmly on her duty.

Yes. As the guardian of the Shikon no Tama, she would eliminate _all_ threats.

**A/N:** Until next time! xx


	17. Misunderstandings

**A/N:** 'Allo again, my lovelies. Thank you to **SamMorgan-Cassidine** and **HeidiBax **for your reviews!

Don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 16- Misunderstandings

"Well?" barked Inuyasha.

Miroku shook his head as he approached the hanyou and the rest of his companions who were waiting patiently outside the village.

"I'm afraid not. The castle on the hill is far from being abandoned. Even before I asked the villagers about it, I could see several guards stationed around the castle walls." The monk tried to smile as he held up a big sack in each hand. "At least we managed to replenish all our supplies!" he said proudly.

"Shit," cursed the half demon as he began to walk away to the path from which they came. Miroku, Sango and Shippou looked at each other and sighed before wearily following after their leader. About twenty yards away from the village entrance, Inuyasha came to a stop and folded his arms.

"Oi, Hachi!" he shouted in no particular direction. Big, round eyes timidly poked out behind a wide tree trunk to the left of the hanyou.

"Oh, Inuyasha-sama and Miroku-sama, you and your companions have returned!" stuttered the racoon nervously. Inuyasha made no acknowledgement of the tanuki's mumblings.

"There ain't anything here," he said sharply. "We're moving onto the next castle."

Hachi bowed deeply, obviously uneasy by Inuyasha's tone. "Yessir! Right away!" He quickly transformed into the group's usual flying yellow transporter.

"Houshi-sama, this is the fifth castle today! I don't think the ruins will be in populated areas such as this village," whispered Sango.

Miroku nodded in agreement as he kept an eye on their hanyou friend loading Hachi's back with the supplies. "Yes, but our only clue is that the ruins lie somewhere to the west, so we must be thorough. And it's been fifty years since Housenki threw away the pearl. That's definitely long enough for humans to rebuild a castle over some destroyed remains."

"That's why we're checking even the active castles?" asked Shippou who was hanging over Sango's shoulder.

"Oi! You guys done complaining yet?!" shouted Inuyasha. The three of them jumped and quickly scrambled onto Hachi's back. Inuyasha merely looked at them out of the corner of his eye and sniffed as they rose into the air.

*****

"Jaken-sama! Look!" cried Rin as she bounded around the field. She stopped to pick a flower and proudly turned around to show her companion. "Isn't this the prettiest flower in the field?"

"Hm! It just looks like all the others around," grumbled the little youkai. He had his head rested against the two headed dragon who was lightly dozing in the warm sun, enjoying the fragrance of the wild flowers.

"But this is the most special flower out of all of them!" said the girl. She happily spread her arms gesturing to the rest of the flowers that clearly dimmed in comparison to her chosen one.

Jaken closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "Really! What makes that flower so special compared to the others?" He was rudely startled when the girl thrust the flower in front of his face.

"Look! It has two colours! Yellow and white!"

Jaken blinked a couple of times before finally giving in and looking at it. Sure enough, the petals were decorated with swirls and thin stripes of yellow and white.

"So it has two colours. So what?" he snapped.

"Because! The field is full of either yellow or white flowers but this is the only one that is both yellow _and_ white! It's all alone, but it's still the best and most prettiest flower of all of them!"

Jaken looked at the little girl inquisitively and sighed again.

"Jaken-sama, you're sighing a lot lately," said Rin.

Jaken hung his head and whined. "I'm just sick of all this sitting around. It's so boring!" Suddenly he stood up, fists raised and shouted into the sky. "It's just not fair! When will it be time for me to assist Sesshoumaru-sama like the old days?!"

"Jaken-sama, you're crying again."

"I'm not crying!" sobbed Jaken as he furiously wiped his eyes.

A flicker of red suddenly caught Rin's eye. She looked over to the trees lining the field. A flicker of white this time. The little girl continued to watch the moving red and white object until it passed a break in the bushes.

A girl emerged dressed in priestess robes.

"Jaken-sama look!" said Rin as she watched the miko in the forest.

"What is it? You have another flower to show me?" he grumbled, still wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"No, isn't that Kagome-Oneechan?" she asked as she began to run towards the trees.

"Wait! Rin!" shouted Jaken as he watched the girl run off on her own. Grumbling, he quickly got up to run after her. However, he stopped, turned to the two headed dragon and told it to 'stay' before he continued after Rin.

*****

The inu-hanyou grumbled to himself as they finished their inspection of yet another run down building on a clear piece of land.

"This one's too fresh!" he complained. His nose twitched again as he sampled the air around. "The wood doesn't smell musky enough."

"I see," said Sango quietly. "Now that I get a good look at it, it doesn't seem to have the decomposition of fifty years…"

Miroku nodded his head. "Judging by the signs of destruction, this one was done by bandits. What do you think? A few months ago?"

"Two months," snapped Inuyasha as he turned away from the site. "What does it matter anyway? It's not the one we're looking for so why are we still standing around?"

Sango looked at Miroku for a second.

"Inuyasha, don't you think it's time we have a break?"

Inuyasha swung around to glare at them beneath his bangs. His voice was dangerously low. "What'd you say?"

"A break, Inuyasha," said Miroku strongly. "It's sorely needed. We've been going since sunrise and already the sun is setting!"

"Keh! You kiddin'? You just had a break! Human's really are pathetic!"

"But I'm tired too," whined Shippou. Tears suddenly began to pool around the corners of his eyes. "WAAHAAAAAAAAAAH! I MISS KAGOME!!"

"You're a youkai! Crying about it won't help! Where's your pride?!" shouted Inuyasha as the fox's crying turned to sniffs.

"Keh! Fine!" he sniffed and began to walk away. "You take your little break. I'll check out the surrounding forests and do something _useful_."

He came to a stop.

It couldn't be… surely not…

He sniffed the air again, leaning in closer to the tree at his side. It was a little faint, but it was there on the bark! There was no mistaking it! He spun his head in the direction of the scent's trail.

"Inuyasha, what is it?" asked Miroku behind him.

"I smell her!" he shouted back as he leapt off into the forest, leaving his friends bewildered.

_Kagome! _

He was going to find her this time and force her to come back! Even if she kicked and screamed. Did she really think him weak enough to get beaten by Onigumo twice? There was no way in hell that would happen again and he was going to make sure she knew it! He was going to make her sorry for doubting him and then he was going to take her home where she would be safe while he hunted down that fucking Onigumo!

Inuyasha bounded through the foliage with an elated sense of urgency.

That was when light traces of two other familiar scents hit his nose.

*****

Kagome carefully scanned the forest around her before stepping over a twisted tree root to continue on her path as quietly as possible. Although today had gone smoothly, she had felt on edge for a little while now.

She and Kagura had been scouring the surrounding area for any sign of possible ruins all morning until they arrived at this quaint forest. Kagura had left her by some tall twisted tree, asking her human companion to do a thorough search of the area after seeing some sort of derelict structure from the sky. The wind youkai said she would meanwhile investigate the surrounding mountain ranges not too far from the forest.

Kagome was surprised when the wind youkai had asked her if she would be alright on her own. Kagura had her back turned from her when she said this, of course, and used a very uncaring voice as she spoke, but still, she had asked. Taken aback by the sudden sign of concern, Kagome had stammered she would be fine on her own and bade goodbye to her partner.

Kagome had then taken off in the direction of where she thought the old building was. After realising the ruins were nothing but a burnt out building (probably the work of some bandits a few months ago), Kagome had rewarded herself with nice long soak in a nearby hot spring. All in all, it had been uneventful. At least the hot springs had helped take away some of the tension in her body. Only, the dull throb in her chest she had been feeling for a few days still remained.

'_I just wish I had brought my towel with me,'_ she thought, running a hand through her wet locks. At least they would be dry in a few hours. And it had been nice to get some time alone. Kagome frowned. Come to think of it, she was really surprised she was actually left on her own for a while. Wasn't Kagura or Naraku concerned she would try to escape?

Kagome mentally slapped herself. Of course not. How could she forget? Naraku knew exactly what he was doing. And he knew she would never try to run away from fear of Onigumo attacking Inuyasha again. How the heck did that guy get so strong anyway?!

She took another few steps over the tree roots when a small voice caused her to spin around.

"Kagome-Oneechan?"

"Rin-chan!" gasped Kagome as she watched the little girl happily approach her. "What are doing here?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama went off on his own and told Rin to stay with Jaken-sama and Ah-Un so we were picking flowers in the meadow and there was this beautiful flower that had two colours and I think it was the prettiest flower I've ever seen but Jaken-sama didn't think it was that great but then he's always a little grumpy!"

Kagome smiled weakly, already a little exhausted from the girl's energy. "It's good to see you're still so exuberant!"

"Rin! How many times must I tell you not to run off like that!" panted Jaken as he finally caught up to the two girls. "What do you think Sesshoumaru-sama will do to me if something happened to you?!"

"Jaken-sama! Look! It's Kagome-Oneechan!" cried Rin happily. "I told you it was, didn't I?"

Jaken narrowed his eyes at the girl. "Huh! It's the half-breed's wench is it?"

"Nice to see you too, you little imp!" said Kagome dryly.

"Why you-!" shouted Jaken, waving his staff around furiously. "I'm not an imp and I don't like that tone of yours! If Rin wasn't here I'd-!"

"Oh! Is Sesshoumaru-sama's little brother here with you?" interrupted Rin cheerfully.

Kagome's face suddenly fell as she was reminded of reality; seeing Rin had made her temporarily forget everything that had happened. Kagome turned away slightly, avoiding the curious looks of the two before her.

"Rin-chan, you shouldn't be here. It's not a good idea for you to be near me right now."

Kagome could feel the confusion radiating off the girl. "Why?"

The young miko struggled to find the words. "It's just… a lot of things are going on right now. I would hate for you to get caught up in them because of me." She smiled to herself. "I don't think Sesshoumaru would like that either."

"Hm! In that case we should leave! Come on, Rin!" shouted Jaken as he turned to go. The little human just kept staring at the older girl.

"But why-?" she asked quietly. "You look sad…"

Kagome's heart clenched at those words. She tried to smile and shook her head lightly. "It's nothing. Don't worry about me. But you should keep away from me for now."

"Rin, let's go!" said Jaken impatiently.

Rin kept looking sadly at Kagome, unsure of what to do. She looked down at the item in her hand and suddenly held it out.

"For you," she said, holding out the flower. "I hope you feel better soon!"

Kagome looked down at the offering, surprised by the notion. She warmly smiled and picked it up. "Thank you."

Rin smiled before bowing and running ahead of her youkai companion. "Come on, Jaken-sama! I'll beat you to the field!"

"Hold on, Rin! It's not a race!" cried Jaken as he madly ran after her. Despite his words, he clearly felt some competitive drive to make him run.

Kagome smiled as she watched them dash off into the forest and looked down at the flower in her fingers as she continued on her way. Rin was right when she said it was pretty. The usually white petals seemed decorated with splashes and swirls of a faint yellow making it look exotically unique. Two species combined into one beautiful thing. Probably the only one of its kind.

Why did that remind her of-?

Kagome was surprised she had to wipe her eyes as sudden tears threatened to fall. How could one little gesture of kindness make her want to bawl her eyes out?

*****

Sesshoumaru lazily looked around the spacious forest floor. Again, there was no sign of Naraku. Not even a trace of his scent. He had thought he had smelt something similar to the pathetic half demon, but realised it was mixed with the smell of the wind. It was probably that Kagura woman. He hadn't bothered to stop and investigate.

The daiyoukai came to a halt, keeping his eyes scanning the forest. He could sense someone's approach. Suddenly he was hit by the repulsive scent of soil. Grave yard soil.

A woman, dressed in a miko's uniform, emerged from the distant bushes of Sesshoumaru's gaze. The white skinned miko slowly turned her head to look at him with expressionless eyes. He returned the gaze lethargically as the woman stood staring at him. Sesshoumaru didn't bother to prepare for a battle but kept his eyes keen for any sudden movements. It didn't look like she was foolish enough to attack…

Eventually she turned her focus back on her path and walked onwards, out of his sight.

The daiyoukai stared after her for a while until he in turn continued on his way for another few minutes as his mind wandered.

He had recognised who she was instantly. The scent of grave yard soil, the odd feeling she gave off… it immediately told him this was the dead miko that had pinned his lowly half brother to a tree all those years ago. What a shame he had to be released. Mind you the shame of having a family member destroyed by a priestess would be even more irritating, even if the member was half human.

Speaking of the whelp…

Inuyasha came bursting through the trees.

*****

Inuyasha stared at his asshole of a half brother.

He was confused. When he left he could only smell Kagome, but as he began closing in on her scent, he was met with others. Scents he did not expect to find in the same place. He was sure he detected Kikyou's scent not a few leaps before, strangely following the same path as Kagome's, and then he was assaulted with this bastard's stench.

The said bastard was now looking at him with the same expression as always; as if he was a lower form of life. He fucking hated that look. No matter how many times he had beaten the prick in the past, he always had that look.

Inuyasha's mind was racing as he refocused on the present events. With everyone being in the same place at the same time, the hanyou couldn't help but be suspicious. And this guy was coming from the direction Kagome's trail was heading. Had they met along the way or did they miss each other? If he had, did he try to attack her? Inuyasha drew in the air through his nostrils and let out a breath of relief when he couldn't detect any of Kagome's blood.

"Where is she?" He demanded.

Sesshoumaru's expression didn't change. "If you are talking about your dead miko she just passed through here without so much as a glance."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as his suspicion of Kikyou's presence was consolidated. "Kikyou was here…"

They were then interrupted with a loud "Sesshoumaru-sama! Rin and Jaken-sama and Ah-Un have returned!"

The little girl with her arms full of flowers rode into the clearing on the two headed dragon, followed by the very irritating Jaken. Inuyasha had to swallow a growl of frustration from the disruption.

"Inuyasha!" exclaimed Jaken. Without his saying anything, the stupid creature launched into an unasked-for rant. "What do you want this time, you pathetic half breed? Come to try and take down your brave, courageous big brother? Have you?! I'll have none of it! I'll take you on myself and cleanse Sesshoumaru-sama's blood line! I'll nev-!"

"Jaken. Shut up," said Sesshoumaru expressionlessly. The little youkai immediately fell silent before muttering incoherently to himself. Sesshoumaru looked back at his brother. "What do you want?"

"Kagome. Have you seen her?"

"Why would I have seen her?" the daiyoukai asked, uninterested.

"Where is Kagome?!" snapped Inuyasha.

"You've lost your companion, then? First the miko, then the human girl… Perhaps you should keep a better eye on your women."

"What?!" shouted an outraged Inuyasha.

"But I just saw Kagome- Oneechan…" said Rin, innocently. Inuyasha spun around to look at the little girl, his mouth hanging open.

"What?! Where?!"

"Over by the trees near the field of flowers," she said pointing behind her.

Without a moment's hesitation he bounded in the direction of where the girl was pointing, pushing his legs as fast as they could go. Kikyou's scent was getting stronger. As was Kagome's. And yet they were following along the same path…

'_I've got a bad feeling…'_ he thought to himself as he pushed off the ground.

*****

Kagome sat on one of the protruding roots of the twisted tree examining the flower Rin had given her. It really was a very pretty flower once you looked at all the fine details. It may have just seemed like an ordinary flower at first glance, maybe a little wilted and strange, but it was its combined colours that made it so… unique.

And it reminded her so much of Inuyasha!

Kagome sighed to herself. Okay, if she was starting to see aspects of him in something as dainty as this, she must be seriously missing him! A flower would be the last thing to compare Inuyasha with! Surely!

Kagome looked at the rich gold colour at the centre where the flower petals met and marvelled at it. It was the same gold as Inuyasha's eyes. She could almost imagine him perfectly. Looking down at her, giving her that molten gaze that made her feel a little weak…

Kagome lightly slapped her cheeks to pull herself out of her daydream. If she kept thinking about it, her chest would only hurt more. Already it was starting to throb. She quickly stuffed the flower into her white robes and pulled her knees up to her chin, gazing out over the small rocky clearing.

This was definitely the tree Kagura left her at. So how much longer was she going to take?

Kagome's head snapped up when a silent figure dressed in miko robes emerged from the trees.

"Kikyou!" gaped Kagome staring at the dead woman. She was the last person she expected to find here, so far to the west. "A-are you looking for Inuyasha?"

"I wanted to speak to you," she answered quietly.

"Oh…?" was all Kagome could say as she slowly stood up. Usually Kikyou would only come to speak to Inuyasha. Did she know he wasn't here?

"You are waiting for Naraku's incarnation," Kikyou stated as she stared at Kagome with a strangely hard expression.

Kagome gaped again, unsure of what to say. "How did-?"

Kikyou's eyes narrowed as if in pain. "I thought you were stronger than this."

In a second she had an arrow nocked in her bow aiming at the girl. Kagome took a step back against the tree.

"Kikyou?" she asked in confusion.

"You are my reincarnation, Kagome. It is my duty to stop you, in any way necessary, to prevent you from tainting the Shikon no Tama!" shouted Kikyou.

"What do you mean 'tainting'?!" exclaimed Kagome. "I would never do such a thing!"

"You're working for Naraku! I saw with my own eyes the nature of your deceit not two days ago."

Kagome looked at her stunned, before realisation settled in. She must have somehow seen the meeting between herself, Kagura and Onigumo!

"Wait, Kikyou, please!" she cried. "This is all just a big misunderstanding-!"

"You are working for Naraku, are you not?! Don't you realise what that means?!" Kikyou pulled her lips back in fury. "You've betrayed Inuyasha!"

Kagome felt something lightly crack inside of her as she stared at the dead miko. The dull throb in her chest suddenly turned into a sharp pain.

"I have no wish to take a human life," continued Kikyou. "Especially not one with as great spiritual power as yours. But if it is to save the purity of the Shikon no Tama, to save you from Naraku's clutches and in consequence, to save my soul…"

She tightened her grip on the arrow.

"… then there is no other way. I must do this painful thing for the sake of all of us."

Kagome's eyes widened.

"And so, I will not ask for your forgiveness," Kikyou sadly whispered.

She released the arrow.

**A/N:** AAHH, DAMN!! Yet another cliffie. Can't help myself! Oh well. You know you love it :P

xx GoldenDust


	18. A Secret Moment

**A/N:** Thank you: **HeidiBax** (Thank you! Lol. I like Jaken too!) **Bibliophile224** (lol! Yeah, Rin's awesome. Thank you!) and **SimplyIndefinable1992** (haha! Yeah, Kikyou always makes more drama, doesn't she?)

Big thanks to everyone who reviewed to keep me motivated. And thanks to everyone reading.

Chapter 17- A Secret Moment

Without thinking, Kagome went to dive out of the way of Kikyou's arrow; but it was too fast for her to avoid being unscathed.

Kagome winced as she felt the tip of the arrow graze the side of her shoulder before it stabbed neatly into the tree behind her. The graze, taking away her concentration for a split second, caused her to lose her footing on the twisted roots of the tree. With a surprised shout, Kagome landed with a splat on the rocky ground, faintly aware of the warm trickle of blood seeping out from her torn white sleeve.

Kagome looked up from the earth to see Kikyou aiming another arrow at her. The miko's mouth was set in a hard grim line.

"Please Kikyou…" she whispered desperately as all other words failed. _'Listen to me!'_

Kikyou's face hardened with resolve as she released her grip on the quill. Kagome's heart stopped.

"KAGOME!!!"

Kagome saw a red blur jump from the bushes out of the corner of her eye just as the arrow was sent flying. A giant blade slammed its way in front of her, shielding her from the attack. Kagome shielded her eyes as a huge flash of light engulfed the clearing. As the silence settled in, she cautiously opened her eyes.

Where the giant blade used to be, a rusted sword sizzled quietly, the only sound that interrupted the stunned stillness of the forest. Kagome tore her eyes away from the katana to look at the man wielding it.

She felt like she was going to cry.

There he was, his body half turned away from her, his silver white hair billowing around his shoulders. Her eyes quickly trailed over the proud side profile of his face. His chin raised up, his golden eyes blazing with some strange mix of pain, anger and confusion… He was… There wasn't any word to possibly describe him. Kagome's throat closed up with an overwhelming flood of emotions.

Kikyou silently lowered her bow.

"Inuyasha…"

"Why are you attacking her, Kikyou?" he asked. His voice quivered slightly.

"Why?" asked Kikyou. "Inuyasha, you must know by now," she said softly, nocking another arrow in her bow.

"Kikyou…!" exclaimed Inuyasha, surprised by her movement.

Kikyou's voice became hard. "She has turned to Naraku's side. She is endangering all of our lives by having the shikon fragments with her!" Her eyes turned soft, pleading to the hanyou. "Please, move aside!"

Inuyasha shook his head. "No, you're wrong Kikyou. She joined him on purpose! She hasn't got a dark heart. She's still pure!"

"Inuyasha, please don't let your affection blind you! No one would go to Naraku of their own free will and still be pure!"

"SHE DID IT FOR ME!" shouted Inuyasha suddenly.

Kagome held her breath at his words and felt the thick throbbing in her chest begin again, stronger than before. Inuyasha's eyes seemed to widen as he realised what he said and mumbled "…_Us_, I mean…"

Kikyou slackened her pull on the quill as Inuyasha's tone of voice changed, waiting to hear the rest.

"There's this boy," began Inuyasha awkwardly. "…from Kagome's time. He somehow came here. Then Naraku found him. It turns out… this boy, he's actually Onigumo's reincarnation… Anyway Naraku somehow got rid of Onigumo from his body and now Onigumo has taken over the kid's body. And he's strong. I couldn't beat him, so Kagome had to go with Naraku to stop the fight."

Kagome kept her eyes lowered while Inuyasha recapped the turn of events for the past few weeks. She could feel her face burning with an odd feeling of embarrassment when Inuyasha mentioned what she had done for him. Perhaps it was the way Inuyasha struggled to say he couldn't beat Onigumo...

Kikyou stared at Inuyasha while her eyes shone, indicating her mind working furiously.

"Onigumo… you say?"

Kikyou lowered her bow and began walking away without a second glance.

"Where are you going, Kikyou?" asked Inuyasha, a little stunned.

She looked over her shoulder at him. "To find this Onigumo. If he is the same wild thief that I nursed back to health, then I owe everyone plagued by Naraku's existence to deal with him."

"But it's-!"

"Do not fear for my safety. I am well aware he has made himself a hanyou. It shall make it all the more easy to purify him."

Having finished what she had to say, she resumed walking away from the clearing.

"Wait, Kikyou," said Inuyasha softly. He glanced at Kagome out of the corner of his eye. Kagome looked away.

"Don't you think you should apologise?" he asked awkwardly.

Kikyou paused in her step for second.

"I said I wouldn't ask for her forgiveness."

She left the clearing in silence leaving the two alone.

Kagome sat breathing slowly as she replayed the scene in her head. She let out a silent sigh of relief, thankful it was over.

Then the situation finally settled in on her. _'Alone… Oh God.'_ With the threat to her life gone, Kagome's mind instantly settled on the fact she was alone with the one person she wanted – no – _needed_ to be the furthest from at the moment.

Praying her attempt to escape wasn't going to be futile, Kagome quietly stood and began to back away, keeping her eyes focused on the back of the hanyou. She was all the while cursing herself for not bringing her arrows. Sure, he had called her bluff last time, but still they might have been useful-

"Where are _you_ going?"

Kagome froze when Inuyasha suddenly spoke. Her eyes locked onto his face as he slowly turned around to look at her with a strange expression. It was the same molten gaze, but harder, a little colder. For some reason her heart rate sped up as his gold eyes seemed to continuously bore into her, making her feel exposed and horribly vulnerable. The throbbing in her heart increased ten fold.

Unable to take any more of his intense attention, Kagome spun around and made a dash for the forest. But before she could get two steps, a strong hand encased her arm, holding her to where she was.

"Let go of me!" she yelled struggling against his grip.

"Kagome, stop this!"

"No!" she shouted as she tried to hit him.

Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched in frustration. "Kagome!" he snapped, willing her to listen. "I'm not leaving you alone! I'm stronger than him! I can take him!"

"No! You can't! Let go of me, you baka!!"

Inuyasha stepped back, suddenly offended, before he stepped forward again and angrily frowned. "I am not a baka!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too! Let go of me! Let go!" she cried, trying to pry his fingers off her arm. Why the heck wouldn't he let go?!

"Kagome…"

Her head snapped up at the gentle tone of his voice. She nearly gasped to see how close his face was to hers. His eyes were looking directly into hers, mere inches away. He spoke again:

"You don't belong with him. You belong with me."

Kagome stared in shock at Inuyasha as the throbbing in her chest suddenly stopped.

Slowly, a new horrible sensation of something breaking ripped through her. And she instantly knew what it was. He was breaking her resolve! A rush of panic swept over her as his golden eyes kept piercing into hers. She started trembling.

"No…" she whispered horrified by how easily he had stripped her defences. "No! NO!" In one last frantic attempt to run away, she helplessly started beating against him in a blind desperation.

"NO! NO! LET GO! Please! Please…!"

Her last bit of strength gone, Kagome finally did what she had been wanting to do for ages. Cry.

Everything came down around her. The feeling of despair she had been keeping locked up suddenly came out in a wave of helplessness. Her struggles against his hold became weaker and weaker as more and more tears streamed down her face. As she started sobbing, he pulled her into an iron-strength embrace. She finally went limp against him.

Kagome hated herself. How easy it would be to just go with him now, let him take her anywhere he wanted and just let him protect her. How simple and inviting the prospect of returning to her friends, to Miroku, Sango, Kirara and to hold Shippou again. It would be so easy… Kikyou was wrong when she said she had betrayed Inuyasha before. What she was doing now, selfishly relishing in Inuyasha's hold, _endangering his life_…

This was true betrayal.

*****

Inuyasha took a deep breath, drawing in the sweet damp smell of her drying hair. His nose wrinkled at the light scent of her blood. He had let her get injured… _It may just be a cut but still…_ He squeezed his arms as firmly as he could around her shoulders, holding the trembling girl to his heart.

He couldn't work it out. Even though he was holding her as tightly as he dared, he still didn't feel it was enough. All he wanted to do was pull her into him tighter. So tight that she would never be able to separate from him.

Inuyasha's chest tightened as Kagome's sobbing grew a little louder. He rested his cheek on her hair and squeezed her a little more.

"Kagome… It's okay…"

As if in response Kagome let out two heart breaking cries and a sniff. She was trying to regain control of herself and miserably failing. Carefully, he put his cheek down, pressing it against her temple. He felt her shift to press more of her own cheek against his and gave a shuddering sigh.

He caught his breath at how soft her skin was. Why hadn't he noticed before? He had once touched her cheeks during that battle with Sesshoumaru, when she had taken that blow to the head, but being too worried about whether she was still breathing, he hadn't really noticed it then.

She sobbed a few more times and he, without thinking, moved to press his mouth firmly against her cheekbone. Kagome seemed to calm down and slowly turned her face to look at him, unintentionally keeping the contact between her skin and his lips.

Facing each other, their mouths only half an inch apart, he was surprised to find himself breathing deeper, feeling Kagome's shuddering breaths on his face. Round blue eyes shimmering with tears looked up at him with such pain and longing, Inuyasha forgot how to think and just acted.

He closed the gap.

For a while all he could think about was how soft, moist and unbelievably warm her lips were on his. He could still feel her shivering beneath his arms and tried for the umpteenth time to crush her as snugly as he could into his chest, pressing his lips onto hers more forcibly in a gesture of reassurance. He could feel Kagome clutching his robe, letting out a few gasping sobs, but still held her mouth against his. Eventually he felt the pulse through her lips become slower and felt her chest breathing easier against his as she calmed down.

He held her there for what seemed like only moments, or perhaps it was ages, as he basked in the most intimate thing he had ever experienced.

Their lips pulled apart.

"Kagome…" he breathed, still in lost in a daze.

Without warning, a gust of wind and a bright flash of light engulfed him. Inuyasha gave a shout of surprise and went to cover Kagome. Just as quickly as the light appeared, it faded, prompting him to open his eyes in confusion.

Scattered all around the clearing were large gashes in the ground, still sizzling from the onslaught of the attack. He looked down, shocked to find his arms empty.

"KAGOME?!!"

His eyes darted up to the sky to catch sight of a giant feather carrying two black haired women away from the clearing.

Inuyasha felt the rush of predacious adrenaline course through his body as he let out a completely inhumane, feral growl. "FUCKING KAGURA!!"

He was about to race off when a large fire cat broke through the tree line, his companions on its back.

"Inuyasha!" cried Miroku. "What happened? Where's Kagome-sama?!"

"Kagura took her! She's close!!" he shouted as he pushed off the ground in a gigantic leap. "Come on! We can still catch her!!"

He barely heard the others follow him through the trees as he focused on the mixed scents of the wind, Naraku's fucking stench and the sweet smell his target (not to mention the slightly tangy scent of her blood). Kagura was fast with the wind on her side, but his anger and unholy frustration was keeping him within a good distance of her.

Inuyasha cursed himself. He had let his guard down just when he had her! How could he have let that happen? He should never have let himself get distracted!! He had her for one fucking second and he let her get stolen away again! He kept playing the image of Kagome's sad face over and over again, pushing himself further and faster.

Of one thing he was sure. He definitely knew that now he could _not_ give her up.

*****

One second she was wrapped within the warm folds of Inuyasha's arms and the next, she was rudely surrounded by the icy cold wind and found herself on Kagura's feather.

Kagome's mind was still in shock that that had all just happened in the last five minutes. Kikyou trying to shoot her. Inuyasha appearing and then comforting her and then… then… _kissing_ her. He…he actually _kissed_ her!

Kagome stared, shocked, her mouth hanging open. It suddenly registered she was no longer crying. She patted her cheeks and was surprised to find them dry from tears. _'Guess there's nothing like a good shock to stop you from bawling'._

But he _kissed _her! Right after seeing Kikyou! He would never look her in the eyes after seeing her before… Did that mean something…? What about Kikyou?! Kagome clutched the sides of her skull as her head began to hurt. Stupid Inuyasha! Stop being so confusing!

"You all right?" asked Kagura's voice, obviously not caring if she got a response or not.

Kagome froze in embarrassment. She hoped Kagura hadn't heard her quietly freaking out back here…

"Sorry for interrupting back there," Kagura said dryly over the wind. "But I needed to talk to you about something."

Kagome blushed furiously and tried to speak. "W-what is it?" stammered Kagome.

The wind youkai turned to face the young miko, her face darkly serious.

"I think I've found the time pearl."


	19. Time Pearl Found

**A/N:** As usual, a _big_ thanks to all you readers and reviewers. Thankyous to **absolutely helpless **(thank you! Glad you liked the kiss!), **HeidiBax **(aww, thankyou! You're always so nice!), **SimplyIndefinable1992 **(lol. Yes, cliffhangers are my guilty pleasure! Thank you!)and **Futurekagome37 **(thank you so much :D !) for keeping me going! Much love to ya's!

I don't own Inuyasha

Chapter 18- Time Pearl Found

"You've found the time pearl?!" gaped Kagome. "H-how?! Are you positive?!"

"Keep your voice down and close your mouth; it's hanging open," said Kagura, irritated. Kagome quickly shut her mouth, hoping the wind sorceress would continue.

"I can't be certain, but I reckon it's there. Just over this hill there are some remains of several old buildings." Kagura's eyebrows narrowed. "I think it's the remains of a castle."

Kagome felt a small flicker of anticipation in her chest. This could be it! The remains of a castle found on the western side of the country!

"So where abouts is the pearl in the castle grounds?" asked Kagome.

"It's in what I _think_ used to be a stream. You know, garden feature."

Kagome nodded. She couldn't think of anything else to say. That and her throat had suddenly become dry.

This was it. They were going to finally get the time pearl. What then? That was the part Kagome had been dreading to face, and had yet to come up with a plan for. Could she really give it to Naraku? There had to be some way around it without making him set Onigumo loose! But then again, if she did give Naraku the pearl and he had no further use of her…

Kagome forced her stomach to stop nervously fluttering at the thought. She wasn't stupid. When Naraku was done with her, there would be nothing stopping Onigumo from coming. And she knew there was no way she could stand against him, even _if_ he had made himself more susceptible to purification attacks.

Come to think of it… Poor Hojo was still being taken over by Onigumo, wasn't he?

'_Oops. Sorry Hojo,'_ thought Kagome sheepishly. _'I'll think about you once this whole time pearl fiasco is over.'_

*****

Inuyasha charged through the foliage with as much of his strength as he could muster. Even for a hanyou he was pushing himself, trying to keep up with the scent of Kagome and the wind. He forced himself to take another deep breath, trying to relieve himself of the sharp pain in his chest.

Sango called to him from behind. "Inuyasha! Was Kagura still with her?!"

"Yeah!" he shouted back. "That bitch had the nerve to leave Kagome on her own. Who knows what would have happened to her if I hadn't come?!"

"So you _did_ see Kagome-chan?" Sango asked. Miroku smirked to Shippou.

"I'm sure it was an emotional moment…"

"I bet he tried to do something lecherous," added Shippou.

"Shut up, you bastards!" spluttered a red-faced Inuyasha. A sudden nauseating stench assaulted his nose.

Oh _fuck_.

"Yo! Dog Turd!" shouted Kouga as he came into view, between the trees. "What brings a mutt like you here?" he asked as he came up beside the charging hanyou.

"Fuck off, Mangy Wolf!" spat Inuyasha. "That's what I should be sayin'!"

"Kagome's nearby; I can smell her! So I'm obviously going to save her!" said Kouga, facing the direction of her scent.

"Well duh! That's why we're chasing after her too!" shouted Inuyasha.

"Yeah!" called Shippou from Miroku's shoulder. "Inuyasha already found her before!"

Kouga's face distorted in confusion for a second, but his feet never faulted over the uneven forest floor. "Wait-" he began. "You already saw her once before and yet you let her get away?!"

"Actually, this would be the second time she got away," stated Miroku factually.

"Shut the fuck up already, Miroku!"

"Jeez! First letting Naraku get away and now Kagome…!" muttered Kouga loudly. He suddenly sped up leaving Inuyasha and the group far behind him. "I'LL SAVE KAGOME, MUTT! YOU CAN JUST HANG BACK HERE SO YOU WON'T GET IN MY WAY!!"

"LIKE HELL I WILL!!" roared Inuyasha as he tried to push himself even harder.

They had to get that pearl before Naraku! There was no way in hell he would break his promise of saving Kagome!

*****

It was getting late as Kagome's feet touched the rocky ground. She looked at her surroundings which were beginning to glow a faint orange from the fading sun.

No wonder the castle was difficult to find. Everything was so run down; you could easily mistake it for a large, mostly empty clearing. The forest around it was thick with ferns and tall pines, obstructing the view from the other side. While most of the ground was rocky earth, a few indentations and stones laid out across the clearing indicated the patterns of buildings long since destroyed by nature. The few lone buildings that stood were nothing but frames, pieces of wood that looked partially collapsed and covered with moss and vines. The only real sign that man kind had been here was the empty bed of a stream that wound its way around the buildings.

"As you can see," said Kagura, interrupting Kagome's inspection. "The only real way to notice it as being the ruins of a castle would be from the air."

Kagome nodded. "Yeah…"

"Well, enough gawking," said the wind sorceress. She turned away and began to walk further into the ruins. "We need to find that time pearl and get out of here before your Inuyasha comes, right?"

Kagome flushed red at her words and the sudden recollection of their last moment together. "Y-yeah…!"

The young miko followed the youkai lady in between the mouldy wooden frames until they came to a large open area where the stream bed widened slightly. A bridge arched its way over where water would have been. It was perfectly in tact, though a little old and rickety. It was easy to tell it would have been simple and neat in its prime.

"This is where the garden would have been…" muttered Kagome out loud. Suddenly Kagome stopped in her tracks and spun around towards the forest from which they came.

"What is it?" asked Kagura, slightly curious.

"It's… it's a Shikon shard. Two of them!" answered Kagome. Her surprise quickly changed to dread as she realised what was going on.

Oh God. Not Kouga. Not now.

A whirlwind burst through the trees and disintegrated, leaving Kouga standing prepared for a fight at the edge of the clearing.

"Kagome!! Are you alright?!" he shouted with concern.

"Kouga-kun…" mumbled Kagome. Great timing…

"Oh ho! So it's wolf-boy, is it?" said Kagura, tapping her fan on her chin with amusement. "It seems everyone's out to get this time pearl, doesn't it?"

Kouga's eyebrows knitted in angry confusion. "What the hell are you talking about, you damn bitch? I'm here for Kagome!" He raised his fist threateningly. "And I'm telling you to release her right now!"

"Oh hum. I guess I'll have to stop you," the wind youkai drawled. She suddenly brought down her fan sending a razor sharp blast of wind towards the wolf, who narrowly ducked out of the way.

"Kagome!" shouted Kagura over her shoulder. "It's in the river bed; the time pearl. Get down there and find it so we can get the hell out of here!"

"G-got it!" answered Kagome who ran full pelt towards the stream bed while Kouga was distracted. The rocks on the side came loose making her slip and slide down until she got to the bottom. Ignoring how bruised her behind was going to be the next day she looked around frantically at the rocks and stones lining the bottom of the stream. Most of them were smooth, round and dirty browns or greys.

Kagome gave an aggravated groan.

"Which one?!" she called to Kagura who was just dodging a kick from a furious wolf youkai.

"The one that's shaped as a pearl!" she called back, throwing another Dance of the Wind Blades attack.

Kagome stuck her head over the stream bank to look at her. "That doesn't help me at all!!" she shouted, frustrated.

A sudden blast in her direction made Kagome cry out in surprise and duck for cover. Kouga came skidding to a halt above her on the stream bank.

"Stay down, Kagome! When I finish wasting this wind bitch, I'll get you outta here, 'kay?" He saluted and ran back at Kagura before Kagome could say anything.

"He really has no idea we're working together does he…?" she mumbled to herself in surprise.

"KAGOME!"

Kagome stiffened at the voice that called her name. Her heart fell heavy and yet it beat faster as she saw Inuyasha break through the trees on the other side of the clearing. Sweat was trickling down the side of his face and he was breathing terribly hard, especially for someone as athletic as him. She looked at him guiltily while he held his eyes before he turned to look at the two other youkai in the area. Kouga and Kagura had stopped their battle to look at the hanyou.

"Damn," cursed Kagura under her breath, her red eyes flashing. "So the dog wants to play too..."

"Kagura, you bitch," began Inuyasha, still huffing slightly. "It's time to let Kagome go."

"Hold it, mutt!" barked Kouga, glaring at the interrupter of his fight. "You had your chance twice before! Don't think I'm gonna let you screw up rescuing Kagome _again_!"

Inuyasha glared at the wolf youkai and grit his teeth. "Shut the fuck up, wolf! I ain't talking to you!"

"INUYASHA!"

"KAGOME!"

They were interrupted by Sango, Miroku and Shippou appearing out of the trees on Kirara's back.

"This is getting irritating," muttered Kagura. She whipped her fan out and sent a sudden blast of wind into the sky.

Inuyasha looked at the woman in confusion. "What the fuck was that supposed to do-?"

He was cut off by the unexpected inhumane screams coming from around the clearing. Without warning, streams of youkai came descending on the ruins, gathering around a smug looking Kagura. As the youkai finished assembling behind her, she grinned.

"Lucky for you, I keep these guys on hold just in case something like this happens," she chuckled.

"Ha!" spat Inuyasha, unsheathing the tessaiga. "We've destroyed your pets before and we'll do it again!"

"JUST YOU TRY!!" screamed the wind youkai as she brought down her fan in a grand attack. As everyone leapt out of the way, the youkai horde charged head on into a ferocious battle.

"Kagome! Find that pearl!!" Kagura shouted, keeping her eyes on the fight. Remembering what she had to do Kagome leapt down into the stream bed and frantically resumed her search.

"Jeez! How many of these guys are there?!" cursed Kouga as he punched down another flying serpent like creature.

"Keh! What's the matter? You getting' tired already, wolf?!" sneered Inuyasha as he threw another Kaze no Kizu at the youkai.

"You two, get behind me!" shouted Miroku, undoing his rosary beads. "There aren't any saimyoushou, so it should be safe for the moment!"

The two fighters jumped out of the way as the monk showed his bare hand to the onslaught of monsters.

"KAZAANA!!"

"Shit!" muttered Kagura as she leapt out of the way.

As the youkai began to be sucked into oblivion, Miroku turned to the taijiya behind him. "Sango!"

"I got it!" she replied. Taking the distraction of Miroku's air rip, Sango sent her giant boomerang flying at the wind sorceress with loud "HIRAIKOTSU!"

"Damn!" cursed Kagura as she narrowly reflected Sango's attack. "Kagome! We really need that pearl!"

Back in the steam bed, Kagome began to furiously part rocks, frantically sifting around the mass of pebbles. Paying no mind to dirty she was getting she threw the stones aside in a flurry until a flicker of light caught her eye. Kagome looked down at the middle of the pile of stones she had been parting to look at a perfectly spherical object. It was covered in dirt, but there was a spot on it that the dried mud had been scratched away.

Its exposed surface was a beautiful pearl white. Not only that, it seemed to radiate something…

"I-I found it!!" she exclaimed. It was just then she noticed a wild youkai fleein in her direction. It suddenly set its sights on her and charged, hungry for blood. Having nothing to defend herself, Kagome braced herself for the horrific impact.

"KAGOME!!"

Out of nowhere, Inuyasha leapt in front of her and took a swipe, destroying the rogue youkai, but taking out an enormous chunk of the river bed. The pebbles and rocks flew everywhere, scattered from the massive attack.

"The time pearl-!" exclaimed Kagome as she managed to catch sight of it landing on the other side of the stream.

"The time pearl-?" murmured Inuyasha in surprise.

Kagome began to make a scramble for it when Inuyasha quickly leapt onto the bank to retrieve it.

'_NO!'_

"Kagura!!" Kagome shouted in panic. Kagura managed to tear her eyes away from the battle to see Kagome's dilemma.

"Don't even think about it!" muttered the wind youkai as she sent a gust of wind in the hanyou's direction. Inuyasha barely had enough time react when he saw the blast of razor sharp wind coming at him.

"FUCK!" He whipped out tessaiga in front of him to shield himself from the attack. Kagome felt a twang of anxiety when she saw the blast force him to slide back, but quickly refocused on the pearl that had been flung into the air with Kagura's wind. She scrambled up the side of the rocky stream when she saw the pearl come back down from being air borne, landing in the middle of the rickety garden bridge.

Kagome caught Inuyasha's eye for a split second. He was going to go for it! She made a dash for the bridge as fast as she could, knowing full well, he was probably going to beat her to it. Sure enough, in one leap he had reached the edge of the bridge when suddenly, a large youkai swooped down from the sky on the hanyou.

"GODDAMMIT!!" swore Inuyasha as he blocked the unexpected assault. Seeing her only chance, Kagome pelted past him onto the bridge, towards the jewel lying motionless on the wooden planks.

Inuyasha laid a mighty swipe at the offending youkai before charging after Kagome. The young miko saw him coming from behind and her heart leapt.

He was running for it. He was almost there!

She leapt for it, arms outstretched.

"KAGOME-!!!" shouted Inuyasha.

She encased her fingers around the smooth white surface.

Everything stopped.

A bright white light abruptly shone from the pearl within her hand, engulfing everything around her. It was so bright she couldn't even see her hands in front of her. She closed her eyes from the sharpness of the light as a sudden sensation of being pulled wrapped its way around her body.

And then there was nothing. No strange feelings of being pulled, no angry shouts of youkai and her friends fighting, no Inuyasha calling her name. It was completely silent.

Taking a chance, Kagome cracked an eye lid open. She gasped. Everything was different. Well, she was still in the garden of the castle grounds, but everything was…

Beautiful.

The garden was full of flowers in neat arrangements. Bushes lined the paths that wound their way around the area. The stream was full of flowing water, the stars of twilight twinkling off its glassy surface. And the garden bridge was newly polished! Everything almost looked brand new!

Kagome slowly turned around to face the rest of the castle grounds. She almost fell over in shock to see a grand castle in front of her. Stylish buildings and walkways stood in their prime, the garden surrounding them. Lights flickered from within the shouji screens. She could hear people moving about, talking and laughing. The castle was still in use! What on earth…?

Kagome was brought away from her shocked thoughts at the presence of someone behind her. She spun around to face the other side of the little bridge.

Kagome thought she must have hit her head or something.

Looking at her with large round golden eyes and long silver white hair was a little Inuyasha. He looked no older than a human would at five years old and was dressed in his fire rat haori. He silently looked at her with incredulous eyes.

Kagome looked for something to say. "Oh... h-hello…"

Little Inuyasha shied away slightly while keeping his eyes on her, unblinking. Kagome's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Hey, it's ok. You don't have to be scared," she cooed. His innocent eyes raked over her clothes and he looked away before coming back to rest on her face again, still unsure. Kagome's heart swelled. She couldn't believe how utterly adorable he was!

"What are you doing out here by yourself? Shouldn't you be inside with the other people?"

"… I'm not allowed," he mumbled finally. Kagome frowned slightly.

"Why not?"

"Cuz I'm different…" he said looking away. A horrible feeling wrenched at Kagome's chest. So even as a child of a princess, he was still being ostracised. She had half expected it, but Inuyasha had never actually told her. Her mind came back to the original problem at hand. She smiled genuinely at the little boy.

"Say, I'm a bit lost. Can you tell me where I am?"

Inuyasha looked at her with more curiosity than uncertainty. "In the castle gardens," he answered.

Kagome sighed to herself. Well yeah, _that_ was obvious. But why was everything different from before..?

Wait! Little Inuyasha, new garden, in-tact buildings! Then-! She-! She had time travelled!! But how?! It was the pearl?! But she was human! There rumours said she wasn't supposed to be aff-!

Then it hit her.

Of course… _Rumours_. They were nothing but rumours after all…

Swallowing nervously at her sudden revelation she looked back at the young Inuyasha who was now standing openly and curious in front of her.

"So In-" she began, but stopped herself. This was the past, right? Meaning she would have to be careful what she said. Come to think of it, he had never mentioned meeting her as a child before. Perhaps she should play it cool…

"So, what's your name?" she asked cheerfully. Little Inuyasha crossed his arms and flicked his head away.

"Not telling."

Kagome nearly giggled by how blunt he was. Almost like the grown up Inuyasha she knew.

"Hey don't be like that," she coaxed. She pondered for a bit. "You can call me miko-chan if you want. So what do people call you?"

"I'm not telling!" he insisted, his arms crossed more firmly.

"Hmph. Fine. If you're going to be like that then…"

Kagome thought hard for a second before she smiled and wagged her finger playfully.

"Then I'm calling you Koinu-chan!"

**A/N:** TWIST!!! TWIST!!!! OMFG!!!!!!!1!!! (I know a few of you already got it though)!;)


	20. Path of the Pearl

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone as usual! Thanks to **inuyashaxkagome321** (yay! Ain't he cute?), **cristine44 **(oh wow! Thank you so much!), **HeidiBax** (lol. Thanks so much for always reviewing!), **SimplyIndefinable1992** (haha! I'm sort of glad it wasn't expected; I hope it was a surprise! XD Thank you!) and **inuyashalovingfan** (aww! Thank you so much!) for your reviews.

I don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 19- Path of the Pearl

The little Inuyasha pouted at the strange miko in front of him. "Don't call me Koinu-chan."

Kagome smiled playfully and knelt down to his eye level, her face resting in her hands. "Then why don't you tell me your name? If you don't like being called Koinu-chan…"

The boy looked away, trying to avoid her watching him as he contemplated her words. His eyes flickered back to her face before looking away once more.

"I'm Inuyasha…" he mumbled, his cheeks going lightly pink.

Kagome smiled warmly. "Inuyasha…" she repeated out loud. "That's the name of a proud warrior. It suits you."

Inuyasha looked up at her, his golden eyes round in surprise. His puppy dog ears twitched once on top of his head. Kagome thought she was going to die of cuteness overload at the sight and let out a giggle. She always liked kids, but Inuyasha was the most adorable one she had ever seen! And she thought Soten of the Thunder Brothers was cute!

"You! Who goes there?!"

Kagome's gushing thoughts were interrupted by a harsh yell. She spun around to see two soldiers standing beside the large castle. Each holding potentially lethal weapons.

"Oh, um good evening…" mumbled Kagome, smiling as brightly as she could. Hopefully if she just acted nice they would let her off. One soldier whispered something to the other who then nodded and took off around the side of the building.

The remaining soldier took a few wary steps towards her before raising his staff threateningly. "Trespassers of the castle grounds are punished by death. State who you are, wench!"

Okay, so being nice _wasn't_ going to work.

"Um, well, I-"

The soldier looked past the stammering girl and his face distorted in quiet disgust. Kagome, slightly confused at the man's sudden distaste, followed his line of sight, to see Inuyasha standing quietly by her side. Kagome felt the familiar, tingling sensation of anger building within her chest and flicked her head around to glare at the soldier.

"Hey! Is there something you would like to say?" she said sharply, her eyes narrowing.

The soldier jerked his eyes back to the young woman, taken aback by her sudden change in personality. "W-what?" You-!"

"You asked me a question, didn't you? And here you are, letting your thoughts drift away, not even caring to hear my answer! I should speak to your supervisor about this!" she said crossing her arms.

The soldier opened his mouth in what seemed was going to be an angry retort, but was interrupted by another voice.

"Yuusuke. What's happening?"

Kagome looked back towards the veranda of the building to see a middle aged man dressed in similar armour to the soldier (who seemed to be called Yuusuke). The young soldier spun around and bowed deeply at the man. "Supervisor! I was investigating why there is a trespasser in the castle grounds!"

The older man stepped off the wooden planks to slip into his shoes before walking towards them. Kagome watched, the anger slowly draining out of her, as the man came up beside Yuusuke's shoulder. His eyes trailed up and down her outfit in a calculating gaze. Kagome gulped.

"You are a miko," he stated. The woman looked at him for a second before his words registered in her head. She looked down at her herself. Her white kosode was stained with mud and dirt, her sleeve torn and bloodied from Kikyou's misguided arrow. And her red hakama was torn and equally as dirty. She didn't even want to think how messy her hair was. What the heck must she look like to them?!

Unable to think of anything else to say, Kagome laughed weakly. "Yes, I'm a miko."

The supervisor remained silent, analysing her. Kagome laughed again and waved brightly.

"Oh, my clothes? Yeah, I ran into a pretty bad youkai nearby here which gave me a run for my money and the next thing I knew, I found myself stumbling around here! Right, Koinu-chan?" she said gently patting the little boy's white hair.

She watched Inuyasha's head snap up to look at her. His eyes were wide with astonishment, curiosity and confusion. Well, of course he would be confused. He had seen her suddenly appear out of nowhere, hadn't he? That meant she was obviously lying and he knew it! Kagome's smiled wavered. Sure, it wasn't fair on him that she was making him a fake witness...

But god that confused expression was cute!

She looked back at the supervisor whose expression hadn't changed but for the suspicion, which seemed to have decreased. "I see. You are not from this area? What brought you here?"

"Oh, I wander the lands doing things that… mikos do…" Kagome mentally cringed at the mental blanks she was drawing. _'Things that mikos do… that's not a suspicious thing to say at all…'_

The supervisor luckily didn't seem to notice the hesitation in her voice. "A travelling miko?" he encouraged.

"Yes, um, giving my services to those who need them."

A light flickered behind the irises of the supervisor and his eyes darted to the little hanyou boy beside her. "I understand."

Kagome's eyebrows narrowed in confusion at the supervisor's remark before a female voice cried out.

"Inuyasha!"

A beautiful woman with long, black, trailing hair in regal clothes hurried towards them. Her red lips were a stark contrast to her translucent white skin and dark alluring eyes. Kagome's breath caught in her throat.

It was Inuyasha's mother. Izayoi.

Kagome couldn't stop her mouth from hanging open as the woman continued towards them, her arms outstretched towards her son.

"Inuyasha," she called again.

"Mama!" Kagome watched as the boy ran happily into his mother's open arms. The miko couldn't help but feel warm as she watched Izayoi smile affectionately at her child.

Suddenly the motherly smile disappeared as the woman's eyes snapped up to land on Kagome's face. The girl jumped at the sudden contempt hidden beneath the woman's face. Inuyasha's mother was _glaring_ at her!

Two maids came following after the princess. "Izayoi-sama," one panted. "Your father wants you to return to the feast."

Izayoi's narrow eyes never left the strange miko's. "Tell father I apologise, but I'm retiring for the night. Come, Inuyasha." With that, she took Inuyasha's hand and turned to hurry back to the castle.

Kagome stood rooted to the spot in shock. She tried to open her mouth to say something, anything to the angry mother, but closed it quickly. What on earth _could_ she say? It's not like they had ever met before… She caught Inuyasha turning his head to look at her as he was being dragged away. Thinking of nothing else, she smiled and waved goodnight.

She could have sworn she saw the little man's cheeks glow a bit pink in the light of the castle's torches before he flicked his head away and continued after his mother.

*****

Kagome stared at the ceiling with wide eyes.

She was still in shock about everything that had happened last night. She had almost passed out (quite literally) when she saw the child Inuyasha and realised that she had time travelled.

After Inuyasha had left with his mother, the supervisor asked her to come with him. Kagome had gulped nervously but agreed and followed after the man as he lead her through several hallways and over bridges until they stopped at what seemed to be the royal's quarters. She sat and waited inside while the supervisor went to retrieve the lord of the castle. She wasn't alone as Yuusuke waited with her, but as the two had already exchanged heated words earlier, both were content with ignoring each other's presences.

When the supervisor had returned with the lord of the castle (a man with thinning hair, who Kagome imagined to be Inuyasha's mother's father) he had looked at the miko for a second before giving his consent for her to stay in the castle. Kagome had stared at him in surprise for a second before remembering her manners and bowing deeply. The lord had then said something about summoning her tomorrow, as he needed a miko's skills for something, before apologising for not being able to host her tonight. He then called a maid to take her to one of the baths and give her new clothing. When he bade her goodnight, Kagome expressed her gratitude once again and followed after the maid.

Kagome blinked at the ceiling again and frowned, pulling the covers up to her chin.

Honestly! First she time travelled back five hundred years to the Sengoku Jidai using the well and now she had time travelled from that point even further into the past! Had she gone further than no human had gone before? And she had thought five hundred years in the past was a long way to travel at first! But wait… if she time travelled from the Sengoku Jidai, what time was she in now?

Kagome rolled onto her stomach and folded her arms under chin, temporarily distracted by the luxurious softness of her futon. What had Housenki said back at Kaede's hut? It was the size of the pearl that depended on how far you would travel back? _'Yes, the size of the pearl determines how far back you go and how long you stay…'_

Kagome sighed again and sat up, stretching an arm over her head. Okay, so how big was the pearl she touched last night? It was about the size of Housenki's other pearl wasn't it? The concealment pearl.

The jewel making youkai's voice suddenly popped into her head. _'Hmm… one of this size would send you back about… two hundred years give or take a couple of decades… And you'd probably stay for about a week their time.'_

Kagome froze in her morning stretches. A week? She was supposed to stay here for a whole week?!

"Aaaargh! Housenki Senior, what the heck were you thinking?!" cried Kagome, shoving her face in her hands. This wasn't going work! She needed to get back to the future, now! She had to get back so-

Kagome dragged her hands away from her face.

Why on earth was she so desperate to get back? She had already accidentally used the time pearl which meant Naraku wouldn't be able to use it. He would probably be so furious, he would let Onigumo come after her, especially since she would be of no more use to him as a human. And going back to Inuyasha, when she finally returned, was out of the question. Naraku would set Onigumo on their group and there was no way they would survive another battle with him; Onigumo was constantly changing, gaining newer techniques by finding different youkai parts to bind to himself. He was always getting stronger!

No matter what she did, when she got back, the result was going to be the same. What was she going to do?

Kagome sighed angrily and took off her sleeping yukata to reach for a spare one the maids had brought her last night. No! She wasn't going to let despair get to her! That was exactly how Naraku manipulated people, by putting fear into them! She finished dressing, slid open the shouji screen to her room and stepped out into the hallway.

Anyway, even if she could somehow make the pearl return her to the future, it disappeared after it had transported her! It probably wasn't going to show up again until the end of the week. So she was going to treat this trip as a little holiday. She deserved a break with all the crap she had been through back in the Sengoku Jidai and she needed some time to unwind, recharge and get pumped for when she finally returned. At least this week would give her some time to come up with a plan of some sort!

'_Besides,'_ thought Kagome, giggling to herself. '_This will give me a chance to get to know Inuyasha's past a little better! He's always been really secretive…'_

Suddenly, the maid who had taken her to her room the night before came round the corner, her arms full of silk rolls. Both the miko and the maid stopped quickly to avoid a collision.

"Oh my! Miko-sama! I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!"

"No, no! It's alright, neither was I!" smiled Kagome brightly. She wasn't quite used to how everyone was treating her with reverence and respect.

The maid opened her mouth in surprise. "Oh, you're probably hungry! I'm sorry, I meant to bring you breakfast before now! I'll go get it right away!" she said turning away.

"Oh please, don't mind me!" said Kagome, stopping the girl. "I'm still full from the supper you gave me last night. Here, let me help you there." Kagome took some of the rolls of silk from the maid despite her protests.

"Please, miko-sama, do not strain yourself-!"

"It's fine!" grinned Kagome. "After all, I'm a woman of service too!"

The maid bowed her head and gave a shy smile. "This way then…"

She led Kagome through the hallway to the veranda that skirted around the outside of the main buildings. They passed, what seemed to be, the main garden that was separate from the one she found herself in last night. Kagome looked out at the grounds in surprise. There were about fifteen men and a couple of women bustling about, carrying silks and foods and other items around the centre of the courtyard.

"Is there a feast coming up soon?" asked Kagome to the maid. The maid nodded eagerly.

"Yes, Miko-sama! The Moon Viewing Festival is to be held near the end of the week. As the days go on, it will become even more busy here. That is what this silk is for," she said gesturing to the mounds of silk they were both carrying. "There were so little staff available; I had to deliver these before I could go on with my other duties…"

Sensing the maid was about to launch into another apology for her lack of breakfast, Kagome quickly spoke. "I see. The festival is very important, isn't it? It must be a busy time for you! What are these silks for?"

"The lord loves this festival so he has ordered many silks for new kimonos to be sewn for the royal family and guests."

"So everyone will be attending?"

The maid stopped in front of a large storage room and took the other rolls of silk from the miko and smiled. "Yes, everyone of the royal family. Although, even we servants look forward to it as well!"

"So Izayoi-sama and her son will be there?!" asked Kagome hopefully.

The maid stiffened for a second and bowed. "Thank you for your help Miko-sama." She turned and entered the storage room without looking back.

Kagome frowned and walked away, huffing. What the heck was that? It was a simple enough question! Are people who are in love with demons really treated this disrespectfully? Kagome, her good mood now lost, continued to storm her way along the walkway, ignoring the fact a few maids had to jump out of the way of her furious pace.

Quickly realising getting angry over one maid's reaction wasn't going to help anything, Kagome took a deep breath and sighed. Perhaps her anger came more from the stress of everything she'd been through, rather than the prejudice of the past. Even two hundred years or so into the future it was still the same; some villages still treated Inuyasha with suspicion and fear.

Kagome looked up to find herself wandering towards the little bridge she had mysteriously appeared on last night. How strange Inuyasha had never mentioned meeting her as a child like this. Perhaps he really did forget about her in future. That was the only explanation she could think of.

Kagome sighed again. Oh well, if it was fate for him to forget about her, so be it. She had other things to worry about other than Inuyasha's poor memory. But speaking of fate… to think the castle ruins where Housenki threw the pearl was the castle Inuyasha grew up in!

Kagome realised she had absent-mindedly wandered over the bridge and even further into the back garden. The neat bushes were still perfectly trimmed and the sand display behind her was equally well kept. She felt the breeze lightly flow through her hair and took a deep breath. She stayed like that for a minute, enjoying the sincerity of the moment. It was so peaceful.

A shuffling sound caught her attention and she looked around at a small bush a few metres away. There were two pointy puppy ears sticking out behind it.

Kagome involuntarily broke into a big smile. "Good morning, Koinu-chan!"

The puppy dog ears disappeared behind the bush quickly and there was silence for a moment. Sheepishly, the child Inuyasha came shuffling out behind the bush holding a ball to his chest. His cheeks were a little pink and he had a guilty look on his face.

Kagome knelt down. "How are you this morning?"

"Fine," came his short reply.

"That's good," continued Kagome. "What are you doing out here?"

"Playing."

"What are you playing?"

"Ball."

Kagome felt an eyebrow twitch. These sorts of conversations with kids were so difficult, yet at the same time, she loved how shy he was! He was so cute! To think he would grow into that tall, grumpy, fiercely protective man who would have that intense molten stare that would turn her legs to jelly and melt her stomach…

Kagome mentally slapped herself. She shouldn't be thinking of things like that! Not when the Inuyasha she shamelessly fantasised about was standing in front of her as a little kid! The last thing she should do now is think about the grown Inuyasha's manly chest and his warm lips pressed against hers- STOP IT!!

Kagome refocused on the little boy looking at her with round, golden eyes. He was still as quiet as last night, yet the fear and uncertainty was gone. Now there was nothing but the innocent curiosity.

Kagome gestured to his ball. "Do you want to play together?"

Inuyasha's eyes became even bigger. "Play?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah! Throwing and catching! Let's see how far you can throw that thing!"

Inuyasha smiled a little. "I-I can throw really far!"

"Really? How about you throw it to me and every time I catch it, I take a step back, so you have to throw even further next time. What do you think?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Okay!"

Kagome stood up and took a few steps away from him. "Okay, ready when you are!" she said, raising her arms in preparation to catch the ball.

Inuyasha threw the ball to her. Kagome caught it and threw it back. "That's quite good!"

Inuyasha grinned. "That was easy."

"Oh, is that so?" she took a step back. "Then lets see how far back I can get!"

Inuyasha grinned and threw the ball again.

Kagome caught it and laughed. So she had lots of things to deal with, what with the time pearl, Naraku, Onigumo and even the adult Inuyasha all waiting for her in the future, but for now, she was going to take some time off. She was going to enjoy her unplanned holiday to the past with her favourite person.

Even if he was just a little younger right now.

**A/N:** There is only one more chapter after this and I will have completely caught up with my Media Miner account. That means there won't be another update until I actually write another chapter (which won't be for about two weeks). So just letting you guys know in advance.


	21. A Talk with Mother

**A/N:** First, thankyous to all the wonderful people who reviewed:

**HeidBax** (lol. Thank you!),** inuyashaxkagome321** (I know! He's so cute isn't he?), **inuyashalovingfan** (wow! Thank you so much!), **SimplyIndefinable1992** (lol. Definitely awkward!), **xBitterSweetInsanity** (Oh, thank you, thank you!), **Ashley** (haha! I'm glad you're enjoying the story!) and **mia1837** (I'm so glad!).

Disclaimer: The guy with the dog ears and his friends ain't mine.

Chapter 20- A Talk with Mother

Inuyasha snuck around the bush and crouched low to the ground. His little dog ears twitched once, scanning the surrounding forest. A few birds squawked somewhere in the distance and the trees rustled in the light breeze, but apart from that there was no sound.

Meaning he would have to be especially quiet.

Inuyasha peered over the bush to see his target crouching behind a tree. She had her back to him, peeking out behind the side of the tree trunk. She was obviously keeping a look out for him, but had neglected covering her back. Inuyasha grinned in excitement. In a sudden, quick jump he had leapt over the bush and bolted towards her.

She had barely enough time to spin around before he touched her arm.

"Found you!"

The miko with long black hair and brown eyes broke into his favourite smile. "You caught me! You know what happens now, don't you?"

She stood up, dusted off her red hakama and pulled, what was supposed to be, a scary face. "Now Miko-chan has to find you!"

Inuyasha felt another thrill of excitement and leapt away. "Try and catch me!" he dared. The miko giggled and darted towards him before he jumped even further away.

He loved this feeling of excitement, the feeling of the wind rushing through his hair. It felt exactly the same as when he had rushed home a few nights ago to tell his mother something amazing had happened. He met a really weird miko and _they played together_! And it was fun!

Although he hadn't connected that exciting feeling to the actual word of 'fun', he still ran back to his mother's room in high spirits and began chatting away about all the things they did together. First, they played catch with his ball and every time she caught his throws, she would take a step back and he managed to throw to her all the way down to the end of the garden! She couldn't throw nearly as far as he could, so she let him throw for the rest of her turn. Then they played hide and seek and then she told him a story about a prince and princess and it was one he had never heard before.

His mother had got that crease in between her eyebrows, meaning she was annoyed. She told him that he should be careful around people he had just met. She didn't seem as happy as he was, but he couldn't understand why. That night he went to bed but was far too excited to sleep. All he could think about was how much fun the day had been and wondered if she was going to play with him again tomorrow. He really hoped so.

The next morning, he grabbed his ball and found his way to the miko's room. Her shouji screen that faced out to the garden was open. The miko sat solemnly, looking out at the greenery. It was then Inuyasha had stopped on the garden path, hesitating. It only occurred to him then that she might actually say no, and didn't play with him. Anxiety flurried in his chest and he found he couldn't take a step further towards the room.

Then the miko saw him and suddenly smiled.

'_Good morning, Koinu-chan!'_

Inuyasha's heart had fluttered. He shuffled his legs and nodded his head. He couldn't think of what else he could do. The miko had then stood up (he noticed she was wearing the white top and red pants again) and stepped into her shoes before heading towards him. She smiled again.

'_Do you want to play together?'_

Inuyasha felt the tension in his chest leave him and had a sensation of butterflies in his stomach. He nodded his head eagerly and she giggled.

That day he had shown her his secret place. It was the forest that grew around the castle. There was a secret hole in one of the castle walls that lead to the outside world. Nobody knew about it, so she was the first person he had ever showed. He often went to the forest when he was bored or when his mother was out at a feast. He loved jumping over logs and climbing trees or taking time to explore the greenery. It just gave him a feeling of freedom.

That day he and Miko-chan had played all day in the forest, not even bothering to stop for lunch. When he finally went back to mother's quarters in the evening he was starving and ate ravenously while telling his mother he played with the miko again. At first his mother paled and got angry saying he shouldn't be spending so much time with a travelling miko who came walking into the castle looking for 'business'.

Inuyasha had then told his mother that the miko hadn't walked in, but had appeared in a bright light in the garden outside their room. His mother stared at him in surprise. Seeing this as a sign to continue, he told her all the things he did with Miko-chan (excluding the information of his secret place, of course). By the end of his story, his mother had finally smiled warmly and said how glad she was he had found a friend.

'_Friend'_… He wasn't so sure that was the right word to describe her, but he figured that that must be what a friend was like; someone to play with and someone to share secrets with.

That night he wondered about her again before he dozed off. She really was strange. She talked funny, was kind of eccentric and was always smiling so happily. He suddenly found himself thinking of how he first saw her, appearing out of a shining light in the middle of the garden, like she was some magical creature or heavenly being. Sort of like the ones his mother told him about in her fantasy stories. What was the miko really…?

And again, he couldn't wait to wake up this morning.

Inuyasha landed on a tree branch and looked down at the clearing below him. He watched as the miko came in, looking behind each tree and rock she came across.

"Koinu-chan? Where did you go?" she called out. Inuyasha shrunk in closer to the tree trunk, grinning. He was too quick. She was never going to find him!

The miko continued through the clearing and looked behind a bush before walking on. "Inuyasha?" she called again. She moved away from the clearing, still calling his name. He remained where he was and listened to her calls for a while. Finally, she made her way back to the clearing and shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

"Alright, Inuyasha! You win! I can't find you!"

Inuyasha smiled to himself and jumped down, landing behind her. Miko-chan jumped and spun around. "You really are fast!" she smiled.

"I like running!" he answered. "And jumping!"

She looked up at the tree he had just jumped out of. "That's a long way to jump for your age. But one day you'll be able to jump even higher! I'm sure of it!"

Inuyasha looked at the tree. It looked really big to him, everything did.

Miko-chan sighed deeply and sat down, resting her back against the tree. "I think I need to rest for a bit…"

Inuyasha reluctantly sat down next to her in silence. He really wanted to keep playing, but his mother had always told him not to be selfish. "Can we play hide and seek again?" he asked eagerly.

The miko smiled at him. "Okay, but you know you'll win again; I can never find you." She turned to face him fully and looked at him in mock suspicion. "And you always find me so easily!"

"You stink," answered Inuyasha, avoiding her gaze.

Miko-chan looked at him for a second before shaking her head and winking at him. "No, I don't think I do. I think _you_ think I smell nice."

Inuyasha felt heat flood to his cheeks. "Do not!" he yelled.

Miko-chan continued to tease him. "Yes you do, or at least you will!"

"Do not!" he yelled again. She just laughed and stood up, stretching her back while looking at the sky.

"Hmm… it looks like it's about lunch time. Would you like to get something to eat? I'm feeling a little tired too…"

Inuyasha was about to say he wanted to keep playing when his stomach growled. The miko laughed. "Let's get something to eat and then we can come back after lunch!"

Inuyasha nodded and followed after her as they made their way back towards the castle's wall. Miko-chan slipped through the worn hole first, held the bush that concealed the secret entrance aside and waited for him to follow her back to the castle.

"Can we play again tomorrow?" he asked jogging by her side.

The miko sighed, her pace slowing a little. "I'm not sure. I'm supposed to be meeting with the Lord of the castle when he calls, but he hasn't summoned me for the last three days. I guess he's been so busy with the moon viewing festival preparations."

"What is the meeting about?"

"I don't honestly know. He just said he was in need of my help and needed to discuss something with me."

"So that's why you came here?"

She sighed again and looked out to the distance. "No. Actually, I didn't mean to. I came here by accident. I meant to get something to save a special friend- Well, to save two of my friends, especially one who's being held captive by this guy…"

Inuyasha frowned a little. "Who's the special guy?"

Her eyes glazed over as if remembering something wonderful, a soft smile on her lips. "He's brave, loyal, trustworthy, strong, and a bit of a possessive jerk, but he's still very special."

Inuyasha felt slightly annoyed. He didn't like the way she was talking about that guy. He was used to having Miko-chan all to himself and never thought about her playing with someone else. He didn't like it. Who was he?

"Inuyasha…" said a voice. Both he and Miko-chan stopped and turned to see his mother standing in front of them.

"Mama!" shouted Inuyasha. He ran up to her and she engulfed him in her arms. He pulled away and pointed to the woman behind them. "Mama, this is Miko-chan! I was telling you about her last night! She plays with me!"

He turned, grinning at the girl who stiffened and bowed deeply. "I-It's very nice to meet you, Izayoi-sama. Please regard me kindly!"

Inuyasha watched his mother nod her head. "It's very nice to meet you too. Would you like to join us for lunch?"

*****

Kagome sat with her legs as close together as possible and made her arms as straight as she could get them. Her heart was beating like a jackhammer. Was it possible to be this nervous?

When she had seen Inuyasha's mother waiting for them in the castle grounds, she thought she was going to be in big trouble. She still remembered the way Izayoi had glared at her the night she appeared and was worried she had done something to offend the woman (Usually Kagome would just snort and think it was the other person's problem that they had issues, but this was different. This was _Inuyasha's mother_)!

Luckily though, Izayoi seemed to be in good mood and was smiling at her genuinely when she asked her over for lunch. Kagome had taken a second to get over her surprise and then gratuitously accepted. They had then returned to Izayoi's room where servants had brought them food.

Now finished with her meal, Kagome sat as politely as possible, hoping she hadn't done anything else to offend her host. She was also hoping to the heavens Inuyasha's mother couldn't tell just how nervous she was. Fortunately, the little hanyou boy had yet to draw breath, telling his mother about the funny insects he and the miko had found earlier this morning.

Just then, a maid slid open the shouji screen and came in to clear away the dishes. Kagome quickly bowed as deeply as she could. "Thank you very much for the meal!"

The maid packed up the boxes and went to leave the room.

"If you don't mind, please leave the door open; there's a lovely breeze today," asked Izayoi. The maid bowed and proceeded down the outside walkway.

Inuyasha jumped to his feet and looked at Kagome eagerly. "Can we go and play now?" he asked.

Izayoi reached up and squeezed her son's shoulders. "In a little while, sweetheart. Go and play outside for a bit; I need to speak with Miko-chan."

Kagome's heart thumped.

"But mama…" pouted Inuyasha.

Izayoi raised her eyebrows. "Off you go."

The little hanyou looked at Kagome who tried to smile reassuringly. He looked back at his mother again before picking up his ball and heading outside. The two women sat in silence, watching him kick the ball around the garden.

Kagome shifted her feet a little. She was feeling especially nervous now that Izayoi was in such close proximity. Not just because she felt awkward, but because she felt so inferior in comparison. Now that she got a good look, Kagome could appreciate what a beautiful woman Inuyasha's mother was. Although she was definitely a middle aged woman now, she still radiated the same air and grace of a young lady. She was everything Kagome expected a princess to be.

"I must apologise."

Kagome snapped her head back towards the woman sitting opposite her. Izayoi finally raised her eyes to look at the miko and bowed her head. "I was very rude to you the night you arrived. I'm very sorry."

"Oh no, please, that's alright!" said a flustered Kagome, waving her hand. "Please don't feel guilty!"

Izayoi pulled an apologetic expression. "At first I was afraid you were a threat, but now I realise, my suspicion about you was misguided."

Kagome felt relief flood over her. Thank goodness Inuyasha's mother didn't hate her anymore! It was just suspicion? Everyone had that! That was nothing to be ashamed about!

"It's really okay!" said Kagome honestly. "People are often cautious when they meet strangers!"

Izayoi lowered her eyes. "No, it wasn't just because you were a stranger…"

Kagome cocked her head to the side. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. I don't quite understand…"

Izayoi sighed and looked at her guest. "Has my father spoken to you about your services yet?" she asked.

Kagome shook her head. "No, he said he wanted to talk to me the day after I arrived, but he hasn't yet. He must be very busy."

Izayoi nodded. "I see… You of course know of mankind's fear of youkai being a miko, do you not?"

"Yes, very well," answered Kagome. She knew plenty about it. Travelling with Inuyasha on their adventures had shown her some interesting things about humans.

Izayoi kept her sad eyes on Kagome. "Then you know Inuyasha is not accepted here."

Kagome nodded sadly. "Yes…" she whispered.

"The reason I was so suspicious of you is because I have heard some horrible things circulating throughout the rest of the castle about Inuyasha. Things like how they should 'cleanse' the royal family of demon blood and the rest," spoke Izayoi, her voice full of contempt. "I even heard someone suggest how they should get a professional in to purify the family, so when I saw you I instantly assumed that father-"

Kagome leapt up in a furious rage. "_THAT_ IS WHAT HE WANTS TO TALK TO ME ABOUT?! THAT'S DISGUSTING!!" She gasped and sat down quickly, bowing her head. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to yell."

Izayoi looked a little taken aback but shook her head. "No, please don't apologise." She was silent for a moment before she spoke again. "You are not from here are you?

Kagome shook her head. "No, I come from somewhere far away. You probably wouldn't have heard of it."

"But you trained to be a miko there?"

Kagome laughed nervously. "Um, to tell you the truth, I'm not a fully qualified miko. I'm still in training..."

Izayoi broke into a smile. "I thought so."

"Y-you did?" stammered Kagome. She didn't think she was that terrible at her miko duties…

"Yes," smiled Izayoi grimly. "Because I was to be a miko too."

Kagome's mouth dropped. Now that she wasn't expecting! "You were a miko?!"

Izayoi gazed out of the open shouji screen at the little hanyou boy playing in the garden. "Yes, I was told I had a great deal of spiritual power, enough to become trained as a Shinto priestess. And since I had no promises of marriage at the time, my father was to send me to a shrine where I could properly train my unharnessed abilities." Her light smile faltered. "But just before I was to go, I met Inuyasha's father."

Kagome stopped breathing, hoping the silence would encourage her to go on. When the woman remained quiet, Kagome summoned her courage and spoke. "Ma'am, if you don't mind me asking, what happened to Inuyasha's father?"

Again, Izayoi was silent for a while, watching her son before she turned back to the young miko and smiled warmly. "It was honourable, just like the man he was. It was on the night Inuyasha was born; he saved us both from death, but in doing so…" she sighed heavily. "He was already wounded from a previous battle so he didn't have enough strength to save himself as well…"

"Ryukotsusei…" breathed Kagome sadly to herself, remembering the dragon youkai the adult Inuyasha had slain.

"What was that?"

"Oh, um, nothing. Inuyasha's father sounds like a great man! I'm very sorry for your loss."

Izayoi shook her head. "Thank you, but it is not nearly my loss as it is Inuyasha's. He has no connection to the youkai world and yet this human one will not accept him. Even people of the castle despise him, saying he's vicious like the feral youkai of the wild."

Kagome suddenly slammed down her fist on the tatami mats. "That's not true!" she shouted. "Inuyasha is great kid! He's honest, loyal and a heck of a lot better than most human men!"

Izayoi beamed at her warmly.

"I hope he can meet someone like you when he's older."

Kagome froze for a second before tearing her eyes away from the majestic woman. Had she really just said that? She wished Inuyasha to meet someone like her in the future? That was practically receiving her blessing! She'd gotten Inuyasha's mother's approval! Kagome was sure she was smiling like a goof, but at the moment she didn't care.

"So what is this about you trying to save your friends?" asked Izayoi.

"Oh!" exclaimed Kagome. "You heard that…?"

Izayoi smiled apologetically. "I'm afraid I caught the end of your conversation. Please don't think badly of me."

"No! No, I never could!" said Kagome leaning forward. She was so nice and gracious! "I haven't told your father the exact truth…"

"Is it true that you appeared in a bright light?" asked Izayoi curiously.

Kagome's mouth dropped.

"Inuyasha told me," the princess quickly added.

Kagome let out a sigh of relief. At least it was just Inuyasha and his mother as far as she knew. "As hard as it is to believe, yeah. That was how I accidentally came here…" she trailed off, remembering the few seconds before she had touched the stupid pearl. Inuyasha had been so close to her…

Izayoi nodded sympathetically. "You have a lot on your mind, don't you?"

"Yes…" said Kagome wearily. She really did have a lot on her mind. Any time she wasn't playing with Inuyasha, her thoughts would come flying back to her dilemma that was waiting for her. Already it had been several days, and she had yet to come up with a plan to save Hojo, Inuyasha and herself. Every day she would wake up feeling more anxious, knowing time for a plan was quickly running out.

"I had this friend," began Kagome. "Who had some black magic forced upon him. Some bad person transferred his conscious into my friend's body and is now controlling him. My… other friend is now being threatened by the bad guy. If I don't do what the bad man says, he'll kill him. But we can't fight back at him, because the bad guy is using my one of my friend's body! I want to save the both of them, but I don't know how. And I don't have much time…"

As Kagome finished explaining her problem she paused to relish in the relief that swept over her. She had been keeping so much to herself; it felt good she could finally get some of it off her chest.

"This other friend of yours, the one who is being threatened if you don't cooperate," said Izayoi, smiling softly. "Is he the special friend you were talking about earlier?"

Kagome felt her cheeks going pink and fiddled with her hands. She cursed herself. What was she so nervous about? It's not like Izayoi knew she was crushing on her grown up son! Kagome just swallowed and nodded.

"You're in love with him."

Kagome glanced up at the princess in shock. Was it really that obvious?

Izayoi laughed. "Don't worry, I've always had a keen eye for these things! So? What's he like?"

Kagome's eyes unconsciously travelled to Inuyasha playing outside. "He's a very good man," she murmured, watching the little boy's red haori flap in the wind. "He's had a hard life, but he's still got a kind heart despite that, even if he is a bit of an idiot sometimes. I really trust him with my life." She looked back at Inuyasha's mother who was smiling at her nostalgically.

Izayoi took a deep breath and crossed her arms. "I see, so we're going to have to think of a way to get that bad man out of your friend's body so we can save your lover."

"He's not my lover yet…" mumbled Kagome, embarrassed. She probably would never _be_ his lover…

"How long do have exactly?" asked Izayoi.

"I'm not sure exactly, but I have roughly until the end of the week."

"That's only a few days…" mused the princess. Her eyes once again fell upon her son, now kicking the ball on his knees, happily oblivious to the serious conversation of the adults. "I suppose Inuyasha will be sad…"

Kagome looked sadly at the boy outside, her chest tightening. "I know, I don't want to leave him either."

Kagome knew that as soon as she got back, she would be the only one with memories of their fun time together. The adult Inuyasha probably didn't have any recollection of his childhood with her and she would be forced to go back to how things had always been. She didn't mean to be selfish, but she had loved the time spent here when it seemed she was like the only person he could see in the world.

She snapped back to reality when Izayoi stood up and patted her on the back. "Why don't you go off now? I need to look for something in the storage sheds."

Kagome stood so as not to be rude. "Are you sure?"

Izayoi laughed again. "Yes! Please bestow your kindness on Inuyasha a little longer. He does adore you."

Kagome felt a warm feeling spread through her chest and smiled broadly. "Yes! Of course, Ma'am!"

The miko headed out of the room and slipped on her shoes. Inuyasha came running towards her, his white hair whipping in the breeze.

"Can we go now?" he asked eagerly. Kagome giggled and nodded. The little boy waved back to the room.

"We're off, Mama!"

Izayoi stood by the door and returned the wave, a doting expression on her face. "Have a good afternoon, you two. We'll see you both at dinner."

"'Kay!" called back Inuyasha. He looked up at Kagome, his eyes wide with excitement. "Miko-chan! Try and race me back to the forest!"

With that, he was off, skirting around the garden path in a red blur. Kagome laughed and turned to wave at Izayoi one more time before taking off after him. Even if she was the only one that remembered this time, perhaps it didn't matter after all. No matter what she would treasure these moments for the rest of her life.

"Wait for me!" she called brightly.

**A/N:** Okay, I'm all caught up. And another reminder: **there will be no more chapters for two weeks** (at least) because of exams and the like. Sorry to those who are "dying of suspense", but I hope you will be patient with me! :D

Till then!

xxGoldenDust


	22. When Time is Up

**A/N:** First of all, thank you so much to everyone who wished me luck on the exams and/or offered their help! Most of you have been there and done all that so thanks for your encouragement and advice! Passed everything. Woot.

Second: Thank you all for leaving such heart warming comments! And I'm sorry for those who had to urge me to continue with the story already (*ahem* sorry, Shaun!). I expected to get this out earlier, but then I got writer's block (wouldn't you know it). But it's done!!

Thankyous:

**HeidiBax**- Thank you so much! :D I've always like Inuyasha's mother for some reason

**SimplyIndefinable1992- **Thank you! Hope your exams went well, too.

**pApAw- lol! **Thanks so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it.

**absolutely helpless- **Thank you! He's cute, isn't he?

**dangitsesshomaru- **WOW! Thank you so much! What a lovely review!

**LoVe23- **Thank you! lol. I thought someone would get the Kikyou and Kagome thing!

**Inu-lover- **Thank you! :D

**Brttny- **Wow! All night? Thank you!

**Blueyedevil586- **I'm so glad!!

**INU-sarah-** Thanks for waiting so patiently. Hope you enjoy!

**Shaun-** Thank you for your email! It's great to know you're enjoying it!

ON WITH THE STORY!!

**Chapter 21-** When Time is Up…

"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with the syllable… 'ma'."

Miko-chan frowned in thought as she sifted through the scrolls in the box. "Hmmm… let's see… could it be 'mado'? The window?"

"Aww! No fair! You got it on the first try!"

Miko-chan chuckled to herself and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Inuyasha looked away quickly and began fiddling with the box he was sitting on, also filled with scrolls. That was the thing with Miko-chan. She was always chuckling at him. But when Miko-chan laughed at him, he didn't mind. It was a nice laugh.

"Well Inuyasha, why don't you think of something more difficult next time?" said his mother as she entered the room, her arms full of parchment. The older woman gently rested the pile of scrolls beside the box Miko-chan was rummaging through as the boy huffed in a sulk.

"I can't think of anything! You guys know more words than me, so it's not fair!"

"Then, how about you go back to your kanji practice and learn more words so you can beat us in the next game," said Izayoi, glancing at her son.

"Okay…" sighed Inuyasha. He slowly moved over to sit by the small table in the centre of the room and picked up his brush.

Pretending to look at his work, he took a quick glance around his mother's big room. Well, it _was_ big before. It definitely didn't seem that way at the moment though. It currently resembled something like the store house he had explored one day. Boxes upon boxes were squashed up against the walls of the room and scrolls and loose pieces of parchment were scattered around on the tatami mats, organised in messy piles. It was the third day straight he and Miko-chan had come back to his mother's room to find it in such a cluttered state.

"Izayoi-sama," he heard Miko-chan say, turning to his mother. "You've been searching through these boxes non-stop for the last three days. Can I ask what it is you're specifically searching for?"

Izayoi looked up from reading a scroll and smiled knowingly. "I suppose telling you would help the search's progress, yes?" The princess rolled up the scroll and set in on her lap. "When I was about to begin my training as a miko, I did all sorts of studies on spells and purification techniques. I since then had them stored away since I did not plan on using them. But I believe there might be something that could be of use to you. If only I could remember what it was…"

Inuyasha was sure Miko-chan's eyes widened and heard her bow deeply to the floor. "You've been spending all this time looking for something for me? I'm so sorry for troubling you!"

His mother hastily waved away her intense apology. "No, not at all. I was hoping to have found it by now so I could surprise you and thank you, but it seems it was stored away more thoroughly than I anticipated."

"So you are searching for your old miko texts…" murmured the girl resuming her upright position again. "I appreciate all your hard work, but you don't need to sacrifice so much of your time and energy for my sake."

"Don't be silly," replied Izayoi. She had that kind of voice that indicated she had a warm expression on her face. "I want to do this. Besides, don't you want to find a way to save that _special friend_ of yours?"

Inuyasha's head snapped up. There was that _special friend_ again! He didn't know why, but it was so irritating whenever that _special friend_ was brought up! He didn't know much about him, but he knew this _friend_ was the reason Miko-chan was going to leave him one day. And he especially hated the way Miko-chan would get all red in the face.

He watched Miko-chan flush pink at his mother's words and she began to mumble so low he couldn't understand, even with his ears. His eyebrows knotted together. She was doing it again.

Miko-chan then caught his eye and looked up at him. "What's wrong?" she asked, confused.

"Nothing!" he said, snapping his head back to his work.

"I'd say he doesn't like the idea of sharing Miko-chan with anyone else. He must be a little jealous," chuckled Izayoi slyly to the young girl.

"I am not!" shouted Inuyasha, his cheeks feeling hot. His mother chuckled and Miko-chan resumed looking at her scrolls, a small smile on her face. Scowling at them both, Inuyasha turn back to his brush, moping.

There was silence for a little while. Trying to ignore the pulsing of blood under his cheeks, the hanyou boy looked out the open shoji screen. Already the shadows of the hedges and stones of the garden were lengthening greatly, signifying the lateness of the afternoon.

"Izayoi-sama," spoke Miko-chan softly, cutting through stillness of the room. "You don't need to search anymore; it's probably too late now, anyway…"

Inuyasha didn't look up and kept his eyes focused on his page. There was something in Miko-chan's voice that sounded so sad… And what did she mean by 'too late'?

His mother sighed. "Hmm, I suppose… Speaking of which, it's getting a little late in the day now, isn't it? Miko-chan, can you come with me?"

Inuyasha felt Miko-chan glance at him while he looked up at his mother curiously. Silently, the girl rose and began to follow his mother out of the room and into the hallway.

"Where are you going?" pouted Inuyasha. He was still angry that they had teased him.

"We'll just be in the next room for a little bit. Work hard," said Izayoi warmly as she slid the door shut on him. He heard his mother turn to Miko-chan beckoning. "In here."

Straining his ears to listen, he heard the light steps of the women enter the next room. "Let's see," he heard his mother murmur softly as she rummaged around (what sounded like) her chest of robes. "Ah, here. It seems I have left getting dressed too late in the day, Miko-chan, so I wonder if you wouldn't mind doing me a favour…"

Inuyasha's ears twitched and he found himself leaning over his table towards the wall, eager to hear what was said next.

Miko-chan's voice rose enthusiastically. "Yes, of course, it's the least I can do!"

"Good!" Inuyasha heard his mother whip out something in front of her to show Miko-chan. He heard the young miko catch her breath.

"Um… Izayoi-sama… I don't quite understand why…"

"Come now, Miko-chan, you said 'at the very least', right?" said his mother with a smile in her voice. "So if you wouldn't mind, you go over-see the remaining preparations in my stead while I get myself ready."

The hanyou child's eyebrows knotted in confusion as he heard Miko-chan back away, his mother quickly following after her. "But Your Majesty, I can go as I am! Really!"

"Nonsense," chuckled Izayoi. "Don't be shy, now!"

Inuyasha heard a surprised squeal and the shuffling of material among other sounds of the commotion. Miko-chan's voice shrieked while his mother giggled to herself.

"Your Majesty! Please!"

"Trust me, this colour will suit you!"

"Izayoi-sama, please wait! I- Wah!"

"My, Miko-chan, you _do_ have an alluring figure!"

Inuyasha quickly unfroze himself and clamped his hands over his puppy dog ears, knowing this was a conversation between women, and one he wasn't supposed to be listening to.

*****

Kagome ran her hand over her silk clad thigh in awe as she walked slowly through the gardens. She couldn't remember wearing anything so breathtaking before. When Izayoi had extracted it from the chest and asked her to wear it, Kagome was lost for words at the sight of the material.

It was a gorgeous silk kimono, the kind only princesses in the Feudal Era would wear. It was the soft pink of cherry blossoms with some even embroidered along the fabric. A grand red obi was tied securely around her waist with a complicated bow at the back and her under robes of red and white peeked out around her collar. She even had the sides of her hair pulled back and secured with an expensive looking clip. When Izayoi was completely done with her, Kagome had looked in the mirror and gasped at her reflection. Izayoi really _did_ know which colours suited her and there was no way anyone could possibly miss that proud smile the princess wore as she left her.

Although Kagome had thanked the princess beyond words, she still couldn't help feeling uneasy by the state of her outfit. It wasn't her place to be dressed so beautifully, being a miko, a servant to Shinto. What were the others of the castle to say? Would Izayoi's kind, non-prejudiced heart make her more unpopular to those with the narrow beliefs of this era? Before Kagome had left Izayoi's quarters, she had pointed this out to the princess who merely smiled serenely and waved away her concerns.

"_I just wanted to see you in a kimono once."_

Kagome came to a stop along the stone path and frowned. Izayoi was so mysterious. She had never asked any detailed questions about Kagome's past and sometimes said very vague things. And the kimono! Why did she want to see her wearing one for a change?

Kagome leant down and pulled the straps of her sandal tighter around her socks. Oh well, she supposed it didn't matter, it was the last thing she could do considering she would be leaving tonight.

A shiver of apprehension ran down her spine.

Tonight was to be Tsukimi, the Moon Festival and the end of her stay in the past. Tonight, she would be returning to her time, leaving behind the safety and comfort she had grown to love of Inuyasha's childhood, leaving behind her fond conversations with Izayoi and going to face her problems head on - whether she liked it or not. A week had already gone by and she still had no idea what she was going to do when she got back. She hadn't come up with a plan. She hadn't worked out any possible weaknesses to Onigumo. And she had absolutely no idea what they were going to do to do to her when she reurned. If Naraku had no more use for her he would probably just let Onigumo get what he'd always been after.

Kagome trembled at the thought. How had she let this valuable time just slip away? She had been so swept up in being with a young Inuyasha that before she knew it, it was already near the end of her time here. She thought back to the boy with silver hair and puppy dog ears sitting on a box full of scrolls, dangling his legs in the boredom only a child could have (ironically though, he would still have that juvenile, impatient expression when he was an adult).

Kagome subconsciously felt a smile grow on her face. No, even though she wished she had more time, there was no way she could label the time spent with him as 'wasted'.

Her heart feeling lighter by the second, she quickened her pace and rounded the corner.

Servants, maids and even some soldiers were darting around the main plaza chattering to each other excitedly, some bringing out plates of food to lay to the side of the viewing deck where the royal family would be sitting, some setting up lanterns by the cherry blossom trees. Feeling a little excited too, Kagome confidently walked towards a woman (whom she recognised was one of Izayoi's ladies in waiting) rearranging some dishes.

"Um, excuse me…" began Kagome. The woman turned around and gasped, bowing deeply.

"I beg your pardon, Hime-sama, but the preparations are not yet complete."

"Oh, um, that's okay," said Kagome brightly, waving away her bow. She was a little surprised how polite the woman was being. "I'm not a princess, by the way. I just wanted to let you know that Izayoi-sama is still dressing for the ceremony, so she sent me to oversee some of the preparations until she is ready."

The woman hesitantly looked up and took in Kagome's face. Her eyes widened. "I beg your pardon, ma'am, I thought you were one of the princesses. You are the miko, are you not?"

"Uh, yes I am," smiled Kagome politely.

The woman bowed again. "I do apologise, Miko-sama."

"No, that's okay. Uh, would you mind telling me what I have to do, until Izayoi-sama gets here?"

"There's really nothing for you to worry yourself with. Usually the royal just stands and watches if they like," said the woman, looking at the many men and women moving about. "We are almost done, so if you would just like to rest over there, we may come to you if we have any troubles."

Kagome bowed her thanks and moved over to stand on one of the building's porches. She took off her sandals, walked up the small amount of stairs, rested her back against the wall and sighed.

It really was hard to believe she would be gone soon, the exact time, she didn't know, but she knew it would be tonight. And then she would be back in the future with the grown up Inuyasha and his fiery glare. Kagome gently knocked her head on the wooden wall behind her. How exactly would she leave anyway? The pearl had disappeared when she had arrived here a week ago.

'_Perhaps it'll suddenly materialise out of nowhere and drag me away?'_ she pondered, her hand on her chin. _'Yeah, that sounds like the kind of inconvenient thing Housenki Senior would make.'_

A man suddenly rounded the corner and stopped abruptly, preventing his collision with the young girl. The man bowed deeply.

"I'm terribly sorry, Hime-sama, I wasn't watching where I was-!" he stopped as he looked up at her. His face fell and he stood up, a stiff expression on his face. Kagome groaned internally and had to force herself not to glare daggers. It was Yuusuke, the soldier.

"Why are you dressed like that, Miko-sama?" he asked curtly.

'_Right, stuff not glaring. Let the daggers fly.'_ Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Izayoi-sama gave it to me for the night as a gift," she answered, dangerously polite.

Yuusuke grinned in contempt. "Ha, because you've been entertaining her spawn?"

"Yeah!" shouted Kagome, her hands on her hips. "You got a problem with that?!"

"Actually, I do!" shouted the soldier back. "I don't understand how a miko can be playing with a bastard half-cast like that, going against her duty!"

Kagome felt a vein pop on her head and unleashed her fury. "I can't believe you guys! Inuyasha is a sweet, kind and gentle boy and you better show him some respect! How dare you!! You JERK!!"

She heard a floorboard creak behind her and she spun around. Standing hesitantly by the corner of the building was said little boy with puppy dog ears and a red hakama, looking at them with round gold eyes.

"Koinu-chan!" she gasped. Oh no, he was the last person she wanted to hear this.

"Huh, so the half-breed arrives…" sneered Yuusuke, louder than need be.

Kagome snapped. "That's it! Izayoi-sama sent me as the over-seer of the preparations, so I order you to go clean out the pigs-trough with your bare hands!"

Yuusuke stumbled back as if hit with a mighty blow, before stepping forward again. "You think I'm going to listen to you?!"

Kagome folded her arms smugly. "No, but you have to listen to Izayoi-sama, which for now is me! Are you really going to deny your princess? Hmm?!"

Yuusuke pulled a face as he turned his back and began walking away from them. "Izayoi… She's not a princess; she's just some demon's whore."

"Why you-!" yelled Kagome after him. "Yeah, you better keep walking away! Oooh! If I had my arrows-! Boy, would it feel good to sit him!!"

Realising, the 'civil' conversation with the soldier was over, Kagome turned to the hanyou boy beside her. "Hey, Inuyasha," she said gently. "Don't listen to a word those people say, okay? They have their own issues. That's why they try to pick on others. You really can only pity those sorts of pathetic people."

"It's okay," said Inuyasha, shuffling his feet. His ears were drooping like they did when he was sad. "Mom told me what a half-breed is. They're right. They think youkai are dirty…"

"Who cares what they think!" yelled Kagome, exasperated. "You're you. That's the only thing that matters! And you. Are not. Dirty!"

Inuyasha's ears pricked up a little and he looked up at her with the same round eyes she had come to adore. Kagome smiled encouragingly.

"Hey, how about we play another game?" she asked, crouching down.

"DEMON!! A DEMON IS APPROACHING!!"

Kagome whipped her head towards the direction of the scream. A man came running into the plaza pointing towards the direction he had just come from. Instantly everyone's confusion changed to fear. People began running all over the yard while the men scrambled to get to sticks and spears, anything that could be used as a weapon. She could hear the Supervisor shouting out instructions to the soldiers over the chaos.

"Stay here, Inuyasha," said Kagome, sparing him a glace before hurrying down the steps towards where the soldiers were heading. As she paused to put her sandals back on she looked up at the little boy on the porch. He had his arms half raised and his eyes deep with concern as if to ask her to stop and come back. Kagome smiled at him.

"Don't worry; I'm not called Miko-chan for nothing!" She waved as she ran off. "Go and find your mother and keep her safe, Koinu-chan!"

Most of the grounds were empty now, except for some soldiers and a few retreating servants, which gave her a clean cut to the other side of the yard. Charging through the remaining people, she darted towards the group of soldiers gathering around the castle's gates, their spears at the ready.

"You there! What's the status?" cried out the supervisor to a soldier in the lookout tower.

"It's getting closer! It-! It's taken out the front line!" shouted the soldier, looking out over the twilight horizon. "There are some survivors returning!"

"It's too late for them! Close the gates!" instructed the supervisor. Kagome felt her mouth drop.

"What?! They're your men!"

The supervisor opened his mouth to retort but stopped when he looked over at the girl in the pink kimono. "Hime-sama!" he cried walking towards her. "There is danger coming! Please return to the castle!"

Kagome frowned and was just about to tell him she wasn't a princess when a giant boar youkai burst through the closing wooden doors, splintering it to pieces. The massive boar reared its head in the fading evening light and let out a horrific shriek, leading Kagome to desperately cover her ears from the painful sound. It looked positively frightening in the glowing orange light.

Without warning, it charged again. Men were thrown to the sides by the rabid demon's attack and soldiers patrolling the top of the castle walls were thrown off from the impact. The supervisor pulled out his sword and gestured with it to the youkai. "Attack at will! Make sure it goes no furth-!"

He was cut off when another soldier was flung into him, knocking him to the ground. Kagome had to duck quickly to avoid another soldier flung in her direction. Recovering from her surprise, she looked around to see men attacking the furious boar with arrows, spears and katanas, all to no avail.

'_Its skin is too thick! If only I had a-!'_ Luckily, at that moment, she spied a fallen bow and arrow set near the boar. Kagome made sure the demon was distracted by the other soldiers before she dashed towards it and snatched it away. Retreating to a good distance, yanking one arrow into place, Kagome narrowed her eyes as she aimed at the enraged creature. It looked like any other low level youkai she had defeated in the future; just a little more furious. All she needed was one good shot to the head…

"Hit the mark," she prayed through gritted teeth. The boar suddenly reared back as she released the arrow, just narrowly missing the mark and grazing the boar's chin instead.

"Oh, darn it!!" the girl cursed in frustration. "Why do they always try to move out of the way?!"

Kagome didn't have time to register the rather obvious thing she just said as the boar turned its head towards her and snorted furiously, its eyes screaming for blood. Even though the purification arrow hadn't killed it, it still must have hurt a lot!

"Oh, not good!" whimpered Kagome, fumbling for another arrow. Suddenly, with another horrible screech the boar charged towards her, its hooves making thunder as they collided with the ground. Kagome stared in terror as it approached. It was too late to get another arrow ready-!

"MIKO-CHAN!!"

A red and white blur suddenly darted in front of her, a little clawed hand raised. Kagome gasped.

"INUYASHA?!!"

"Stay away from Miko-chan!" shouted Inuyasha as he swiped at the boar's face. The boar was momentarily stunned by the hanyou child's sudden entrance into the battle before it batted the boy away in irritation. There was a big thud as the boy's head hit the ground. He remained still. Kagome's eyes widened.

"INUYASHA!!"

Realising the boar was turning its attention on her again, she furiously aimed another arrow at the monster and let her weapon fly.

A huge flash of light engulfed the arrow and as it shot towards its mark. Kagome, knowing it would be successful, dropped the bow and remaining arrows and ran towards the little boy lying unconscious on the ground. She completely ignored the sound of the boar meeting its end, falling with a large crash on the ground, as she scooped Inuyasha into her arms.

"Inuyasha!" she cried, gently resting her hands on his head, searching for any open wounds.

"Sh-she's done it! The youkai is dead!" cried one soldier.

"BANZAI!!"

"Is that Hime-sama? No wait, isn't that Miko-sama?!"

"Miko-sama took care of the youkai!"

"The lord was right to hire her! Incredible!!"

Ignoring the remaining soldier's comments, Kagome continued checking the little hanyou over, crooning his name over and over again. "Inuyasha? Are you alright?"

"Miko-chan…" he mumbled sluggishly.

Kagome breathed a deep sigh of relief and smiled at him, tears forming in her eyes. "You dummy. You're always saving me."

*****

Kagome watched Izayoi tenderly lay a damp cloth over her son's head and pull the covers of the futon up around his chin. It had been about an hour since the youkai attack and still Inuyasha hadn't woken. Kagome looked at the sleeping boy miserably as she recalled the moment he had received that severe blow to the head. She had honestly thought her heart had stopped when she heard that sickening crack and watched his body go limp.

'_Stop it,'_ she reminded herself. _'You see him in the future, don't you? He's fine then! Besides, he's tougher than a human, so he just needs to rest! He'll be fine when he wakes up!'_

It was well dark now, with only the candles and lanterns lighting the room. Outside, a deep full moon hung high in the night sky. The two women could hear the happy laughter and music float from the other side of the castle in the warm night air.

"Shouldn't you join in on the festivities?" said Izayoi, breaking the silence. "Father has hailed you a hero and I'm sure they'd all like to have you there as a guest of honour."

Kagome looked up at the woman she'd come to respect, admire and love just like a second mother. This beautiful middle aged woman always had an air of grace about her and yet she was so kind and considerate of others. Kagome smiled sadly. "I'm not the hero. Inuyasha is. If he hadn't saved me, that low level youkai would have had me killed."

Izayoi tilted her head. "Maybe so, but you _did_ deal the finishing blow," she said gently. Kagome didn't have an answer and continued to solemnly watch Izayoi stroke her son's head. It was so sad to think that one day this mother-son relationship would end and Inuyasha would be left frightened and alone.

"You really love him," she said suddenly, surprised by how her throat seemed to close over. She was getting so emotional. Perhaps it was because she knew she was leaving soon.

"Indeed," said Izayoi smiling at her son. "There is nothing like the love a mother has for their child. Would you mind getting that pot of water over there for me?"

"Of course!" said Kagome, getting to her feet. She wandered over to the pot by the shouji screen and picked it up.

Suddenly there was a bright flash of white light from the other side of the shouji screen, coming from the castle gardens. It quickly died down into a low glow, sending pulsating light into their room. Instantly, Kagome felt an incomprehensible, undeniable pull towards the light. The intensity shocked her so that she dropped the pot, water splashing over the mats.

"Miko-chan?" exclaimed Izayoi, worried. Kagome slowly turned around to face the princess.

"I-I have to go," she whispered, her eyes wide. "I-I'm sorry, I really am! I can't-!" She was lost for words at the sensation. If only she could explain this feeling properly. It was like a calling from the future, beckoning her…

Izayoi looked at her sadly for a second before reaching into her inner kimono. "Here, before I forget," she said, extracting an object and walking towards the girl, placing it in her hand. Kagome stared at the little brown glass jar with its elaborate decorations.

"This is-?"

"This is an ancient, rare powder said to be made of the ashes of a deceased goddess who met an untimely end. Use this next time you are in close proximity of your enemy. Its purification powers will push the enemy out of your friend's body and he'll be saved. All you need to do is activate its powers a bit with your own before hand."

Kagome gaped at the princess. "This will-! You mean you-?"

Izayoi smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I found the scroll telling me about this powder as soon as you left, and so went looking for it instead of getting ready for the festival. I hope you don't mind."

Kagome felt tears of gratitude stream down her face and threw herself at the woman, giving her the biggest hug she could muster. These past few days she had been doing nothing but playing with Inuyasha in the forest and, to think, all the while Izayoi was slaving away, trying to find something for her benefit!

"Thank you so much for everything!" she sobbed.

Izayoi chuckled and returned the hug. "I should thank you. You've done more for me than you could ever know. Now, you had better hurry."

Kagome pulled away from the princess, wiping her eyes. "I- um, this kimono-!"

"Don't worry about it. It's my gift to you. It was lovely meeting you," she said gently pushing Kagome outside. Kagome quickly shoved her sandals on and ran out into the garden.

"Oh, and Miko-chan?"

Kagome stopped to look back at her. Izayoi smiled warmly.

"Please take care of Inuyasha."

She gently slid the screen shut.

Kagome blinked a couple of times before the sensation of the pulling returned to her, urging her to move again. Reluctantly taking one last look at the room Kagome finally turned and ran down the path, passing the familiar hedges and flowers, back to where the light was shining, to where the bridge was.

Kagome stopped to stare at the bridge, bathed in the seemingly holy white light. Yes, this was where she had first seen little Inuyasha, little Koinu-chan, a week ago when she had first come here. She supposed it was logic that she return from the very same place she came. Kagome fought down the bitter feeling of regret, not being able to see the little hanyou one last time before she left, as she began obeying the pull and walked towards the centre of the garden bridge. But perhaps it was better this way. How could she possibly say goodbye to him? And besides! She'll see him again in the future, right?

'_Please take care of Inuyasha'_

Kagome stilled as she recalled Izayoi's words. What could she have meant by them? Unless… she knew that…

"Wait!!" shouted a voice. Kagome heard little legs stumbling over the wooden planks. She stopped and turned, watching him run up the garden bridge towards her.

"Koinu-chan…" she whispered.

Inuyasha reached her, puffing. His bottom lip trembled as his golden eyes shined with moisture.

"You promised," he sobbed. "You said we would play another game." Tears rolled down his cheeks and he shamefully looked down, furiously wiping them away with his little red haori.

"Koinu-chan," she murmured with a cracked voice. He looked so sad, vulnerable and alone!

Unable to stand him looking so broken hearted, she suddenly swept him into her arms. She could hear him angrily sobbing into her kimono and began to feel tears stinging in the corners of her eyes again. She hoped he knew she didn't want to leave either.

"Why do you have to go?" he cried. She squeezed him tighter as she struggled to find the right words. Why did this have to be so difficult?

"I-I'm so sorry, Inuyasha," she began. She sighed shakily. "But I have to go. This isn't my place."

"But you're the only other person apart from mom who likes me," he hiccupped. Her heart crushing to pieces at those words, Kagome pulled him as tightly as she could into her chest, trying to give him some, any, feeling of security.

"Listen to me Koinu-chan," she began as she pulled away to face him. "I have to go now, but I _will_ see you again. I can guarantee that."

She took his face in her hands and admired his beautiful, glassy, golden orbs. "I may not remember anything, but when we do meet again, we will have lots of fun and adventures together."

She crushed him to her chest again as he began sobbing once more.

"It will be a long, long time before that though. And between now and then you will face many… difficult things, but from them you'll grow into strong, young man. I promise you, I will see you again."

With all the strength she could muster, she finally pulled away and looked down at him. She smiled sadly taking in his face before she turned away and walked to the light, knowing that each step was taking her further and further away from him.

'_Don't look back. You'll see him again. You see him again in the future. He's fine. He's strong and he's grumpy and is always going on about ramen. He's fine! He'll be fine!!'_

"WAIT-!"

She spun around to see him racing towards her, arms stretched out. She felt a tear rolled down her cheek and opened her mouth to say something, but within a split second, the light engulfed her and everything was gone.

**A/N:** WOOT!! It's finally done!

Okay, serious business here, folks. I can end this story within the next two or three chapters or I can keep going. I still have a few ideas I'd like to use for this story, but it's really up to you guys, since you are the audience. So let me know what you want, cuz I'm easy either way!

Thanks for reading! Xx GoldenDust


	23. How to Get Your 'Home' Back

A/N: It's finally up!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think something was wrong with the website, hence that's why I sent a few of you those messages. But anyway...

Okay.

Thank you to everyone who let me knew what they wanted!

Due to popular demand I'll keep this story going for a little while longer. I was going to take the advice of a few readers who asked me to end the story and write a sequel as a follow on, but I realised I don't have enough material to write a whole other series (at least, not now), and if I did, it'd probably be too short. So I'll keep this going (I still don't know for how long though).

**Thankyous:**

**Shaun-**Thanks for the reminders! They really do help! Glad you like the story!

**pApAw- **Thank you!

**cristine44-** Thank you so much! I'm so glad you like it!

**HeidiBax-** Thank you for always reviewing!

**Beth-** I know, it was sad wasn't it? Even I got teary! And yeah, Yuusuke's a dick. Lol!

**Inuyashalovingfan-** lol! Ok, it's gonna continue! Thank you!

**Bibliophile224-** Thank you!! XD

**Dangitsesshomaru-** lol! Sorry for taking so long to update! Those cookies sound good! :P

**SimplyIndefinable1992-** Yeah! Izayoi's great! I really wish there was more of her in the anime. Thank you!

**Absolutely helpless-** Thank you!!! :D

**Blueeyeddevil586-** I know! How cute is little Inuyasha?!

**LoVe23-** Thank you!

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Can I just say how thrilled and thankful I am for all of your support, guys? I wouldn't have kept going if it weren't for all you! And I am **soooo soooo sorry** for taking so long this time! I have a valid reason! There was a case of a bulging disc in my family so I practically became the woman of the house i.e. cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc. Anyway, everyone's okay now! So on with the damn story already!

Chapter 22- How to Get Your 'Home' Back

"GODDAMMIT!!" swore Inuyasha as he blocked the unexpected assault of the youkai.

He was so close! The time pearl was right in front of him. It was lying right there! He would have had it by now if it weren't for this fucking youkai!! Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kagome pelting past him onto the bridge, towards the jewel lying motionless on the wooden planks.

'_SHIT!'_

Realising the gravity of the situation, Inuyasha laid a mighty swipe at the offending youkai before charging after Kagome. He saw the young miko's eyes widen as they landed on him.

Just a bit further. He was almost there!

She leapt for it, arms outstretched. Inuyasha's heart jumped.

"KAGOME-!!!" he shouted.

Everything stopped.

A brilliant white light abruptly shone from the pearl the second she touched it, engulfing everything around them. Inuyasha gave a shout of surprise and shielded his eyes with his sleeve. Over the other side of the bridge he heard Miroku and Sango give similar cries of exclamation along the mangy wolf's "KAGOME!!"

Keeping his eyes firmly shut, Inuyasha felt a strange hot feeling coming from the centre of the light which then quickly died down. With a sudden loud 'BANG!' the sharp glow died down. Realising the light behind his eyelids had disappeared he quickly whipped away his haori sleeve and began to step towards the girl.

"KAGO-!!"

The last syllable got stuck in his throat as Inuyasha's golden eyes widened.

It was Kagome. But she looked different. Instead of her miko robes she donned a few seconds ago, she was dressed in a pink kimono and had her hair pulled back slightly. There was also something nostalgic, a familiar scent that seemed to float from her, or rather, the clothes. A sudden epiphany of what the scent was flashed through his mind.

'_No way…'_ But that was impossible! It didn't make sense in the least! And wait… where was the pearl?

Inuyasha's mindset quickly went from confusion to frustration. Here they were, after weeks of being separated from Kagome, fighting over that godforsaken fucking time pearl and suddenly she disappears in a flash of light only to return wearing different clothes and holding some weird looking jar in the hand that used to have the pearl.

Suffice to say, Inuyasha wanted to know what the fuck was going on.

His anger suddenly cooled as he finally took notice of her face. She was staring at him with the most miserable expression he had ever seen. Her bright round eyes looked like glass, filled with unshed tears. They almost shimmered gold as they reflected the dying light of the sunset as they focused on him, shinning with pain, regret and even longing. A single tear had rolled its way down her cheek.

Inuyasha suddenly felt a little uncomfortable, but couldn't understand why. There was something so familiar about this picture. What had happened to her? She looked so heartbroken…

Kagome, never breaking the intense eye contact between them, opened her mouth before closing it again choking on her words. Inuyasha watched her swallow before opening her mouth again and whispering with a quiet, vulnerable voice.

"Koinu-chan…"

He stopped breathing. His mouth hung open.

It couldn't be…

The kimono, the tear rolling down her cheek, the exact position of her looking at him across the wooden planks of the bridge… Suddenly he was back to being a small child chasing after her, begging her to stay. The woman who gave him his fondest childhood memories. The woman who was the first, aside from his mother, to appreciate _who_ he was, not _what_ he was. The woman whose sad face had always lingered in the dark recesses of his mind only occasionally coming to the surface to create a longing sense of nostalgia. The woman who actually was…

"Kagome…" Inuyasha breathed.

*****

"Kagome!!"

Everyone flicked their heads up to see Kagura, standing in the middle of (what used to be) the castle grounds with her fan stretched out, keeping her remaining youkai at bay. The wind sorceress lowered her head to look directly at the human girl, her red eyes shining.

"It's gone, isn't it?" she asked in a serious, low voice.

Kagome looked at the youkai woman in hesitation, swallowed nervously and nodded. Kagura's face distorted into what looked like pity (or was it relief?) for a second before she resumed her usual lethargic composure.

"Oh well. It was fun while it lasted," she said as she plucked a feather from her bun. Within seconds she was above them, flying away with her youkai pets following after her.

"Kagura!!" shouted Inuyasha.

"Don't you try to get away, you cowardly wench!!" shouted Kouga viciously.

"Wait! Kagura!!" came Kagome's voice. Inuyasha's head snapped down to look at her. Her eyes were wide with apprehension as she stared up at the retreating youkai woman, almost as if she were begging something of the wind sorceress.

The said sorceress looked over her shoulder at the young miko before returning her head to the front.

"You stay here, Kagome."

"What?" gasped Kagome weakly. There was a large gust of wind and within seconds, Kagura was out of sight.

Sango came out of her stance, blinked and looked over to Miroku in a state of shock. "Did Kagura just let Kagome-chan go?"

Miroku returned the confused look to the taijiya, a little lost for words. "I suppose she thinks she has no more to do here. She said something about 'it' being gone. Could she have meant the time pearl?"

"Was that what that light was?" squeaked Shippou from the back of the giant fire-cat Kirara.

"But Kagome-chan is human! How is that possible?" exclaimed Sango.

"Who cares?" snapped Kouga irritably as he walked onto the bridge and passed the silent Inuyasha. The wolf youkai stretched out his hand to the girl in the pink kimono in a gesture of reassurance. "Kagome, you're safe now-"

Kagome jumped and frantically stumbled away from him, her hands clutched to her chest. "Stay away!"

Kouga paused and blinked at her, a little surprised.

"Kagome-sama, please!" implored Miroku, stepping onto the bridge next to Inuyasha. "Enough of this, I beg you."

"I-I said stay away from me!" shouted Kagome, desperately.

"But Kagome…!" came Shippou's hurt voice from behind them. At the kitsune's sad tone, Kagome's eyes widened a little. She sombrely lowered her head, her fringe covering her eyes and clenched her hands tighter.

"Sorry, Shippou-chan," she whispered regretfully. "Sorry, everyone!" She quickly spun around and dashed as fast as she could across the bridge and into the thick foliage of the surrounding forest.

"Kagome!" shouted Inuyasha dashing after her into the bushes.

Kouga started. "Kagome, wait!" He was about to push off his back leg when a hand rested on his shoulder. The wolf youkai spun his head around to see the human monk looking at him with a soft expression on his face.

"What are you doing, monk?" spat Kouga furiously.

Miroku merely smiled. "I understand you want to make sure Kagome-sama is alright Kouga, but I think the retrieval of our princess would be a job best left for Inuyasha."

Narrowing his eyes, Kouga threw off the monk's hand and stared him down. "What the hell gives you the right to say that? She needs someone to stop her right now!"

"I agree," said Miroku solemnly. "But she's in a vulnerable state and I'm sure you also know who the one Kagome trusts the most is. Even though he's your rival, don't you think it would be alright to give them a moment?"

Kouga stared at the man for a moment before resuming a more relaxed posture, his arms crossed. "Well, I guess I can give that mutt a bit of time. For her sake."

Sango, coming up to them, smiled. "Thank you Kouga," she said sincerely.

Kouga merely shrugged. "Hey, it's not like it's gonna affect the fact that Kagome's my woman! She'll fall in love with me anyway!" he sneered as he scratched his nose, wreaking an aura of pure arrogance.

"Kouga's very confident isn't he?" whispered Shippou to Miroku.

The monk nodded wisely.

"I think it comes with the lack of intelligence."

*****

"KAGOME!!!" shouted Inuyasha, more than a little frustrated, as he gave another big leap and landed in front of her path. Kagome gasped and quickly screeched to a stop in front of him.

Inuyasha glared at her and forced himself to take a deep breath. It hadn't taken long to catch her since she left the castle's clearing; there was no way she would ever be a match for his youkai speed, so that was not the reason he was trying to calm down. Rather, it was the burning rage he was feeling building up in his chest.

At first this anger was the result of his confusion over the fact that, somehow, Kagome was the woman he kept dreaming about in (what he thought was) his distant childhood memories. He didn't understand how that was even possible! But he had seen her disappear in a strange pool of white light and reappear a second later, wearing completely different clothes (that smelt VERY nostalgic) and standing in exactly the same position as the woman in his dreams!

Inuyasha was pissed. He was pissed that all the signs pointed to Kagome. He was pissed that it was impossible for it to _be_ Kagome. He was pissed by the amount of questions he had. He was pissed that Kagura just up and left the fight…

Inuyasha caught the girl's panicked eyes darting to the left, as if assessing her surroundings for a break. Inuyasha's eyebrows knotted together. And he was pissed that even now she was still thinking of ways to escape him without answering any of these goddamned questions!!

Inuyasha took an intimidating step forward, his eyes locked on hers. Kagome jumped and took another step away from him.

"I said stay away!" she yelled.

"Kagome! Stop it!" yelled back Inuyasha. "You're always running away like this!"

Kagome shook her head and curled her hands into tight fists. "I am not! Just leave me alone!"

"No! Nothing you say will make me!"

"Aaah!!" screamed Kagome, her hands making exasperated gestures. "Why can't you just do what I want, baka!"

Inuyasha lost what little composure he had left. "Why you-!! Didn't I say not to call me an idiot?!!"

Kagome folded her arms and rebelliously flicked her head away. "I don't care! You _are_ an idiot!!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"AAARRGH!" screamed the infuriated hanyou, who was well at the end of his tether. "We were doing the same thing as this not an hour ago!!"

Kagome stopped, and looked at him confused, as if trying to make sense of his words. Inuyasha started at her lack of recognition. _'No way… has she already forgotten?'_ Inuyasha's heart began thumping. There's no way she could have forgotten what just took place in the clearing a little while before, could there? But, didn't that _mean _something? The hanyou's mind instantly (and involuntarily) reeled back to the mind-numbing sensation of her soft, moist, warm lips against his. He felt the warmth glowing from his cheeks and forced himself not to look away, determined to receive some sort of acknowledgement for that secret moment.

As if his blushing was a tell-tale sign of what he meant, Kagome's eyes, still wet from her tears, suddenly widened and a deep blush of her own spread across her cheeks. He was sure her heart was thumping just as loudly as his own, but still remained vigilant, never taking his eyes off of hers.

"Kagome…" he breathed.

Kagome suddenly blinked, as if snapping out of a daze. Inuyasha saw moisture pooling around her eyes before she looked away in an effort to hide them. "L-l-look!! Just YOU need to keep away from me! GOT IT?!!"

The hanyou took a step back as his ears drooped, a little shocked. "Keep away…? Why?!"

"Because, I- I've worked out a pattern."

Inuyasha looked at her. "A pattern?"

"Yeah," she said looking at her twiddling fingers. "Over the last few weeks, whenever you're near me, I just want to cry. So stay away from me otherwise I'll start bawling," she said, raising a finger as if in warning.

"W-what…?" he cried. _'I make her cry…?'_

"Oh, don't be like that!" she said, sparing him a glance. "It's just that whenever I'm feeling sad and I'm with someone close to me, I cry. Like I can't hold it back even if I want to. I don't know… it's like I don't have any defences because you see right through them. So I cry because I can't hold the tears back. I have nothing to hold them back _with_! No defences, nothing."

Inuyasha continued to look at her side profile as he slowly made sense of what she meant. His shoulders sagged a little in understanding and he stepped closer towards the girl, looking directly down at her bowed head.

"The time pearl is gone now," he said, keeping his voice level. "And crying aside, why are you still avoiding me?"

Kagome looked up at him and frowned. "You know why; Naraku will let Onigumo loose if I don't do what he says."

"And that was to get the time pearl which is now gone. But if Naraku has no more use for you, there's no reason for you to sacrifice yourself any more because there's no reason for Onigumo to hold back. You don't have Naraku's protection, you can only rely on me-us!" he quickly corrected.

"But if I go to you, Naraku will let Onigumo attack and kill you!"

"What makes you think anything is going to stop him once he has you? He'll come after us anyway and kill us because Naraku won't be preventing him from getting you!"

"Inuyasha!"

He grabbed her shoulders. "I said I wouldn't leave you alone!! That was my promise, wasn't it?!"

There was silence in the forest. Inuyasha watched Kagome look at him with a strange expression; regret, sadness, surprise and… yearning? Desperate to emphasise his point he kept her gaze, never blinking, never straying away from her watering eyes. Strange how he felt like he could almost lose his thoughts within their chocolate brown depths…

Without warning, Kagome slumped forward, her head resting onto his chest. "I guess I thought if I kept running away, you would stop coming after me."

Relishing in the proximity of her body, he squeezed her shoulders tighter to him before looking away, heat flowing to his face. "Feh. I'd keep coming back. Didn't anyone ever tell you that running away never solves anything?"

Kagome suddenly pulled her head away to look directly at him, her eyes wide in surprise. Inuyasha nearly jumped at the strong stare.

"W-what?"

"Wow, Inuyasha. You can say really smart things sometimes."

"GAH! You say it like that's surprising!!"

His about-to-be-furious-rant was cut short when she rested her cheek back on his chest, directly over his heart and relaxed against him. "So, it's really okay for me to stay with you?"

Smiling softly, he moved his arms to wrap around her back and take a deep breath of her scent. "Yeah, stay here, cry, do whatever you want as long as you stay here…"

Kagome giggled. "Can I call you Koinu-chan?"

"No!!"

She laughed a little louder and Inuyasha found it hard to stay angry. He sighed, contented, as an involuntary smile spread over his face. She wasn't running away from him. He didn't have that tight, irritated feeling he would get in her absence anymore. She was in his arms again, safe. He'd won.

Inuyasha paused as a new thought rose in his mind. She had said it again. That name she had given him when he was a child. That confirmed everything. She really _was_ the one from his childhood. And the time pearl was gone. That was what Kagura had said…

Slowly pieces of the puzzle began filling in the spaces of his mind as he tried to make sense of what had happened. The time pearl was gone, and Kagome reappeared in that light with different clothes on, which really _did _mean she had used the pearl to go back in time. But she was _human_, so how…?

"Hey, Kagome…" he began softly. "How come-?"

Inuyasha suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline pulse through his heart, squeezed Kagome closer and jumped before his mind had the chance to register the humongous white spear aiming straight for them. He only just managed to get away as the lance hit the ground with such force, the shock wave cracked the earth in pieces, uprooting all the trees around them. The hanyou faintly heard Kagome's surprised screech and landed on an even patch of ground taking in the change of their environment.

Where there used to be a thick forest was now a very messy clearing. There were huge hunks of land and broken tree stumps sticking out at uneven angles around a crater where the white spear was sticking out of. Inuyasha felt his heart thump as breathed in through his nose.

Yes… he knew that spear and he knew this nauseating stench!

"Huh! And I thought my aim was getting better!" came a dark voice above them.

He felt Kagome tense. Inuyasha gritted his teeth and crushed her waist to his before slowly looking up at the figure standing on a tall boulder that had somehow survived the impact of the attack. Blue arms crossed over a green scaled chest, spikes protruding viciously from his back, eyes gleamed maliciously as Onigumo smirked down on them with fanged teeth.

"Hey Kagome, Half Breed. Heard the time pearl was gone. I've come to collect what's mine."

A/N: Aaargh! 'nother cliffie! Anyway, hope you enjoyed it!


	24. Confessions of a Twisted Mind

**A/N:** Me again! Thank you for always being patient and for the reviews! ^_^

I took a long time because I was working out the last half of the story, plus I had work to do so I sincerely apologise! My exams are over in two weeks, so expect the new chapter after then.

**pApAw- **Thanks so much for reviewing! And sorry for taking so long.

**loVe23-** lol! Glad you like it! Thank you!

**inuyashaxkagome321-** Haha! Yeah I always wanted someone to call him that in the anime! Thank you!

**dangitsesshomaru-** I'm so glad you like it! Again, sorry for taking so long! I really appreciate your comments! 

**:D-** Sorry for making you wait so long! *bows deeply* I really appreciate you reading and reviewing so thank you!

**Wispr-** OH WOW!! Thank you so much for all your reviews!! They made me so happy!

Chapter 23- Confessions of a Twisted Mind

Onigumo's hollow eyes seemed to pierce down on them, malicious intent gleaming from within their black depths. Kagome swallowed nervously and unconsciously gripped at Inuyasha's haori. She could tell exactly what this man turned hanyou was thinking by his mocking, cruel smile and didn't like it one bit.

She felt Inuyasha tremble in fury as his inhumanely strong arm crushed her against his torso. He took one step forward, turning them so that she was nearly hidden behind his chest.

"ONIGUMOOO!!" screamed Inuyasha. His eyes were dilated in a rage she had only beared witness to once before; when he had come crashing through the roof of the castle to rescue her from Onigumo's first attempt. Kagome shivered. Inuyasha was right. There really _was_ nothing stopping Onigumo coming to try that again. Naraku wouldn't need a pure human anymore to find and transport the pearl (especially since it wouldn't have worked anyway). She really could only rely on Inuyasha now. No matter how much she hated putting him in danger.

Onigumo's fanged grin widened. "Good day, Inuyasha. Glad to see you're so happy to see me." He jumped down from the boulder and stood opposite them. "I must say, I am excited to be here too. Because I think we both know we're finally going to settle this today…"

"You're right about that, bastard," spat Inuyasha. "Today you're gonna finally meet the end of your fucking pitiful existence!"

"W-what are you doing here?" stammered Kagome, irritated by the lack of control she had of her voice.

"What?" said Onigumo innocently. "It's not like I was following you and Kagura, waiting for you to get to the pearl and to snatch you away the first chance I got. What a delight it was when I saw the pearl was gone! And now Inuyasha's here, I can kill two birds with one stone! Talk about luck!"

"Well, don't think we're gonna go down, ya fucking freak of nature!" growled Inuyasha viciously.

Onigumo threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, Inuyasha, you kill me! Here's something I've observed from the brief moments we've spent together: though you talk big, that's all you really have, isn't it? It's true; the weakest dog barks the loudest."

Much to Kagome's surprise, Inuyasha grinned. "Then why are _you _talking so much?"

Onigumo's chuckling ceased immediately. A dark look flickered across his face before regaining his smug composure. "So, the dog has learned to keep a calm head. I must say I am impressed."

Relishing in Inuyasha's small victory, Kagome shouted out in her bravest voice she could. "Onigumo! If you start this fight you're gonna be sorry!"

"Hush, Kagome-chan. I'll get to you later," murmured Onigumo, his eyes never leaving Inuyasha's gold ones. It seemed Inuyasha's insult was the one thing that made him snap. He was completely focused on the inevitable fight now.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha. His eyes were the same, completely focused Onigumo, unblinking. There was something primal, something fundamental about the stare-off that had Kagome thinking this was something only two men could ever understand. It was like an ancient, silent awareness between the two that this really was the fight to end it all and the winner would be the one to get…

Kagome swallowed again.

Something was definitely going to happen.

"Stand back, Kagome," said Inuyasha, strangely calm.

Feeling just a little uncomfortable by Inuyasha's stoic face (and by little, she meant A LOT), Kagome gently pulled away from Inuyasha's warmth. Again, they made no sign of recognition of her movement. She gingerly kept walking back to the tree line, never taking her eyes off them either. She finally came to a stop at the very edge of the decimated clearing and stood by a tree.

Inuyasha pulled out Tessaiga and leapt.

*****

"Houshi-sama, do you feel that?"

Miroku swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. He stood with Sango in the clearing of the castle ruins staring towards the direction the very powerful and (unfortunately) very familiar youki. Even more unfortunate, it was coming from the direction Inuyasha and Kagome had disappeared to.

Miroku had been shocked beyond all words when he saw the bright flash of light engulfing their young female friend, only to return her wearing clothes fit for a princess and looking completely heart broken. What on earth had happened to her? He distinctly remembered Kagura say something about the peal being gone after that, before she left… So that light must have been the time pearl activating! That was the only explanation he could think of.

He felt the brush of Shippou's tail as the little fox demon cowered behind his foot, his tiny hands gripping onto his purple robe. "Oh no… I don't like the feel of that!" his teeth chattered.

"It's _his _dark aura," said Miroku hoarsely. "I didn't think he would come here so quickly…"

He felt Sango step up beside him and shiver. "It's coming from their direction, Houshi-sama…! What should we do?"

They were suddenly assaulted by a cloud of dust. Shielding his eyes with his sleeve, Miroku just managed to make out the brown and black blur of their wolf companion racing towards the forest.

"Kouga, wait!" called out Miroku.

"No fucking chance!" yelled Kouga, over his shoulder. "You said yourself you felt the demonic aura of that Onigumo bastard! Kagome's in danger!"

Without further comment he disappeared into the greenery.

"Houshi-sama, we must chase after him!" cried Sango as she hopped onto Kirara's back. Without thinking he scooped up Shippou by his feet and jumped on behind the taijiya. With a roar, the fire neko took to the air following the path of their speeding friend.

"They can't have gone far…" murmured Miroku as he scanned the trees up head. He watched his beloved Sango shake her head silently. "What's wrong, Sango?" he asked.

"I've just been thinking… Kagura said the time pearl was gone. How? Yes, there was that light, but don't you need to be youkai in order to open the path of time?"

"Yeah! And Kagome's definitely human!" said Shippou from Miroku's lap. "I'd be able to smell it otherwise!"

Kirara roared in agreement.

Miroku sighed and nodded his head. "Yes, I understand exactly what you mean. But since Kagome left the castle grounds I've been thinking about our encounter with the weasel who gave us that 'valuable' piece of information. Do you remember it?"

_The weasel youkai gulped. "He wanted information about some sort of pearl."_

"_What did you tell him?" asked Inuyasha gruffly, his arms crossed._

"_I-I told him that there's only one left… a-and that the size of the pearl determines how far back in the past you go and for how long… and, um… youkai can't touch the pearls without being transported…"_

_Miroku stopped him. "You said 'youkai can't touch the pearl'. What about humans?"_

_The itachi looked around nervously and continued in a hushed voice. "I've heard rumours that humans aren't affected by the pearl's youkai power."_

Miroku finished repeating their conversation with the ill-fated weasel youkai and sighed again. "It seems I missed a very important word in that sentence."

Sango looked at him over her shoulder. "What do you mean, Houshi-sama?"

Miroku raised his eyes to meet hers solemnly and muttered two syllables.

"_Rumours._"

Sango's eyes widened. "You mean… it was a lie? The weasel tricked us?!"

Miroku shook his head. "No, I believe he was telling us the truth. It was a genuine _rumour_, but whether the rumour was a genuine _truth_… well, that's another matter. And today's events have shown us that is not the case."

Sango turned back to face the forest in front of them. "So everyone thought the rumour was true. Even Naraku, considering he kidnapped Kagome-chan to get to it."

"He must have seriously believed it!" added Shippou.

"But where on earth could such a rumour have started?" asked Sango.

"That is another concerning matter," said Miroku darkly. "Sango, did you happen to notice how quickly Onigumo got here? It was only a few minutes after Kagura left. He couldn't have heard that the time pearl rumour was made up and come all the way here within that short amount of time…"

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying," said Miroku, slowly. "That it was almost like he was _waiting_. That he was _expecting_ this to happen."

Sango gasped and looked back at the monk. "You don't mean that Onigumo…!"

Miroku nodded. "It seems we are dealing with an incredible master mind as our foe. So much so that he even fooled Naraku…"

Sango swallowed. "…by making up that rumour."

*****

Kouga cursed under his breath as he sped through the foliage. That _fucking_ Onigumo! The bastard that was forcing Kagome through all this hell just wouldn't quit!

The wolf demon was beyond the point of anger now. Everything was just so damned messed up! He wanted to know what the hell was going on with Kagome and that weird white light and he wanted to know why The Mutt hadn't protected Kagome well enough! And then, being his kind and generous self, he had let the said hanyou be alone with her. And where the hell did that lead her? Straight into danger again! Namely, _fucking Onigumo_!

Kouga sniffed the air. Yep. They weren't far away. A few more seconds and he would be there. Sure enough, he quickly burst through the last bush to come across a wide clearing.

"Kagome!!"

The young woman spun around, her wide eyes with surprise to see him running towards her. "Kouga-kun!"

"Are you alright, Kagome?!" shouted Kouga as he gripped her shoulders.

She nodded, her eyes flickering towards the clearing. A little confused as to what caught her attention, he followed her trail of sight.

The earth was completely destroyed, as if a huge shock wave had torn the forest apart. The ground was a mess, and yet there was no debris. It looked more like a waste land then anything. Kouga's head jerked towards the middle of the clearing as a wild clang of swords rang out.

There, blade against blade, was The Mutt and The Bastard, duelling with the most ferocity he had ever seen. Both of them had their lips turned up, their fangs bared in vicious snarls giving each other livid, murderous glares that promised death and a world of excruciating pain. Even Kouga's fur was beginning to stand on end from the intense hatred coming from the battle, and considering how in sync he was with detecting danger, that was pretty impressive.

"Kagome-sama!"

"Kagome-chan!"

The two spectators turned to see the giant fire cat carrying the rest of the crew bursting through the trees and settle down beside them.

"Everyone…" murmured Kagome, as the two humans and youkai child dissented.

"Kagome!" cried the kitsune as he ran towards her, his arms outstretched. Kagome smiled softly and bent down to scoop him into her arms. Shippou tried giving her a squeeze before pulling back and smiling at her.

"Welcome back, Kagome."

Kagome smiled. "Thanks, Shippou-chan."

"How long have they been at it?" asked the monk. They all turned their attention back to the fight at hand. Inuyasha dodged another strike from that strange white spine-looking thing that Onigumo was wielding, only to step forward with another immense thrust again.

"It's only just started," answered Kagome.

"What a terrifying battle!" exclaimed the kit.

Kouga turned to the young woman beside him. "Say, Kagome, what do you say we get away from here?"

She immediately answered him with look as if he was crazy. "Kouga-kun! We can't! What if Inuyasha needs us?"

Kouga crossed his arms and shrugged. "Well, if last time was anything to go by, The Mutt won't be able to beat this Onigumo freak."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her head bow and jumped in alarm. Had he just made her cry? Again?! Dammit! He could never read women's emotions very well!

"Uh, hey, Kagome!" he stuttered, arms waving frantically. "Wait! I didn't mean it like that-!"

"You're right."

Kouga stopped and looked at her in surprise. She raised her chin to look darkly at the duel, her eyes calculating. Still they could hear the mighty clashes and clangs that resonated all around them.

"That's why Kouga-kun, I need you to do me a favour." She reached into the fold of her kimono with her free hand (the other balancing the kitsune on her hip) and pulled out a little glass jar.

"I'm going to need a bow and arrow."

*****

Inuyasha gritted his teeth as he braced against another immense blow from his life-long enemy; the force so strong he felt his feet sink into the hard rocky ground. Cursing under his breath, he managed to bring a foot up to Onigumo's chest and kick him away with a mighty roar. The half dog demon took a quick moment of satisfaction from hearing the wind knocked out of that green scaly chest before he brought down Tessaiga with as much strength as he could muster.

"KAZE NO KIZU!!!"

The mismatched freak of nature quickly brought his weapon in front of him and tried to brace for the attack. Onigumo's face contorted into an angry snarl as he desperately tried to hold off against the fierce attack.

Taking the opportunity, Inuyasha spared a glance towards Kagome. He was surprised to see Sango, Miroku and the rest watching him intently by her side. They must have caught up when his attention was occupied. Inuyasha almost missed the brown streak and cyclone that zoomed back into the forest. He snorted. So the wolf was running away already, huh? Well, he always said Kouga was a coward…

Swivelling his head back to his opponent, he was just in time to see an explosion, the full extent of his wind scar, engulf Onigumo in a fiery, inferno. Without blinking, Inuyasha calmly returned to his usual stance and waited, poised to attack. He knew that wouldn't have defeated him. There was no way a simple wind scar would have won against a hanyou as powerful as this guy.

As the cloud of dust began to fade, a dark chuckle filled the air.

"My, my, Inuyasha," laughed Onigumo quietly as he emerged from the dust, eyes gleaming in amusement. "It seems you've gotten better since our last encounter. You're not nearly as much as a push over as last time."

"Keh! Is that supposed to be some kinda compliment?" he spat.

"Why, coming from someone as strong as me, then yes," said the evil hanyou, lips curling into a smirk.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Bah! If you're so strong, then how come you're still subject to that bastard, Naraku?"

"Ah, ah, ah!" tutted Onigumo, waving his finger. "I'm not anymore, Inuyasha. Not since the time pearl disappeared. And I only have myself to thank for that…"

Inuyasha's eyebrows knotted in confusion. "…yourself? What the hell do you mean by that?"

Onigumo closed his eyes and smiled smugly. "Let's just say, when I want something I use all my assets to get it. Including my _wits_."

Completely irritated by the vague answers he was getting, Inuyasha growled and raised Tessaiga. "Feh! Whatever! I don't know what you mean and I don't fucking care!"

Onigumo's grin widened.

"How was that little weasel when he died? Was he still stuck on his God-complex?"

Tessaiga froze in mid-air. Inuyasha looked at the wild thief, his golden eyes dilated in anger. He hadn't said what he just did. Did he? How the fuck did he know that? Inuyasha quickly swallowed and tried to control the fury quivering in his throat. "What?"

Onigumo chuckled again. "The little weasel who told you about his encounter with Naraku." The wild thief put a blue finger to his chin as if trying to recall. "What _'information'_ did he give our common enemy again? Ah, yes. The pearl having no effect on humans… that was it, wasn't it?"

Inuyasha glared at the twisted hanyou. "Thought you said Naraku doesn't tell you anything. So how the hell do you know about that?"

"Inuyasha!" called Miroku from the sidelines. "It was Onigumo!"

Inuyasha turned to look at his friend. "_What_ was Onigumo?"

"It was him that started the rumour about humans being able to touch the pearl! He tricked _Naraku _and _us_!"

Inuyasha froze.

"What was that?" he heard Kagome say.

Onigumo's shoulders began to shake with quiet laughter before he pulled his head back in a raucous guffaw. "AHAHAHA! And Naraku thought he was the only evil mastermind!"

Unable to say anything, Inuyasha stared transfixed at his adversary as his maniacal laughter died down. Slowly, Onigumo raised his black eyes at the inu-hanyou and coughed twice in an overly-acted effort to stop his giggling.

"Like I said, one of my best assets is my wits. Although throughout my human life, many assumed me to be nothing but a common wild thief, it was thanks to my intelligence as well as my brutality that I survived so long. Me, used to being free… it was painful being under Naraku's control. But he was more powerful than I was, being only a human trapped inside a young boy's body. And I would only get Kagome once Inuyasha and his comrades were out of picture. Oh, it was agony; not being able to chase after the object of my… _desire_…"

Inuyasha's jaw locked.

"Well…," continued Onigumo. "After Naraku sabotaging my attempt back at the castle, I decided to take matters into my own hands." Onigumo leaned on one hip and picked up his spiked weapon so it rested against his shoulder, smirking to himself. "Being the sick, evil fiend Naraku is (I would know considering I'm half of him), I knew that any plan he would use to gather the Shikon no Tama would be done creating as much harm to his enemies as possible. Namely, _you_ Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha involuntarily flexed his fingers around the hilt of Tessaiga.

"So what a delight it was when I heard the creepy bastard was searching for something called the Time Pearl, created by the famous jewel-making youkai, Housenki? Naraku had a plan formed in his head. And I could use this plan to get something I want: get little Kagome-chan away from her friends," he said grinning over in Kagome's direction. Inuyasha felt a hot white rush of anger burn through him. Kagome just stared darkly.

"So, with that, I set off to find somewhere to plant my little seed of a lie about humans being immune to the effects of the pearl. And who was there just begging for any piece of information, not even thinking it could be false, but our dear, late friend, Itachi-san. Famous for being the most sneaky and worldly weasel in the youkai world, he was a sure source Naraku would come to for answers." Onigumo stopped to chuckle to himself again. "And when the idea of humans touching the pearl entered his warped mind, I knew there was only one person he would think of…"

"And yet he could have chosen any human!" cried Sango angrily.

Onigumo sighed dramatically. "True, but I'm sure you've figured out why he chose our beloved Kagome. Her absence would create the most suffering for you and Inuyasha. Plus she has incredible spiritual power, which would mean the youkai power of the pearl would be even less likely to be effective. Or so Naraku believed."

"So as Naraku went searching for the Itachi," he continued. "I hid away learning the dark art of attaching youkai parts to this body, growing more and more stronger, until the day Naraku called on me to help him steal our girl away. I think you all remember how that went down at that village back then…"

Everyone was quiet in silent resentment as they recalled the horrific battle at he village that left Inuyasha with wounds that took days to heal.

Onigumo began to pace a little, thoroughly enjoying the attention he was receiving. "I had Kagome almost within my grasp, and yet I still couldn't reach her. Despite becoming a hanyou, Naraku was still stronger than me by leaps and bounds. But that was alright. All I had to do know was keep an eye on her and wait while I made myself stronger. Once she got to the Time Pearl her work for Naraku would be over and as a result, the Pearl would be completely gone. A final _'fuck you'_ for Naraku."

He threw his head back in another maniacal laugh. "And now it's over, I'm free from that bastard! No longer being held at ransom! I can do whatever I want!!"

Finally able to create some sort of response Inuyasha spat on the ground in disgust. "Keh! Sure, do whatever you want. That is until Naraku finds out you betrayed him."

Onigumo smiled darkly, his fang poking out the side of his mouth. "You should know well by now that I am the furthest thing from a man of _honour_. And when he does find out, let him come! I've already become stronger!"

Inuyasha gritted his teeth. Had he really become as powerful as Naraku yet? Something told him that was impossible. However, Onigumo was still strong enough to beat him up as badly as last time. Not that _that _was ever going to happen again.

Onigumo flicked his spike out to point at the brooding inu-hanyou. "Of course, now all that's left is to claim the prize. Prepare to die, Inuyasha."

Gripping Tessaiga, Inuyasha leapt forwards. "THAT'S MY LINE!!"

*****

Kagome watched helplessly as Inuyasha jumped at Onigumo. Again, there was another clash of steel on steel, before he was pushed back and the ferocious fight resumed.

Perhaps it had been ages since she last saw him, but Inuyasha had seemed to have improved since the last fight with Onigumo. Kagome's wide eyes followed him as he managed to dodge swipe after jab his opponent tried to lay on him. But despite eluding the enemy's attacks, he was getting nowhere. Suddenly, the evil hanyou threw his spike with deadly precision at the dog demon.

Kagome started. "INUYASHA!"

She saw him grit his teeth and manage to bend backwards, narrowly dodging the poisonous weapon. Having succeeded with the distraction, Onigumo appeared by his side and brought his blue fist colliding with Inuyasha's cheekbone. There was a large crack as the inu-hanyou hit the earth.

Kagome flinched. This wasn't good. Even though it seemed Inuyasha had gotten better, so had Onigumo. He had said so himself, hadn't he? She needed to end this quick or else Inuyasha would end up as badly beaten as last time…!

Her worried thoughts were interrupted by gust of wind and a loud screech. She flicked her head around to see Kouga standing proudly, holding up a bow and a set of arrows.

"Kouga-kun! You found some!" she cried happily.

"Course I did! Don't really know what you wanted them for, but anything, you want Kagome," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder, his expression dashing. "I'll get it for you."

Kagome laughed nervously. "Ahaha… Where did you find them?"

"Let me guess," said Shippou hopping down from Kagome's arms. "You stole them from a passing human and scared them half to death." He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "You and Inuyasha are so typical."

"Don't compare me to that Dog Turd! ... but he was screaming a lot when I took arrows…"

Kagome took the brown glass jar out from her robes (which she had stored away when Kouga had left) and stared at it.

"Kagome-sama, what is that?" asked Miroku as he and Sango came over to them.

"It's the ashes of a dead goddess," said Kagome remembering Izayoi's words.

'_This is an ancient, rare powder said to be made of the ashes of a deceased goddess who met an untimely end. Use this next time you are in close proximity of your enemy. Its purification powers will push the enemy out of your friend's body and he'll be saved. All you need to do is activate its powers a bit with your own beforehand.'_

"Amazing!" exclaimed Sango at the end of Kagome's explanation. "Houshi-sama, had you known such a thing existed?"

Miroku shook his head. "No, but it must be very powerful if it were that of a goddess!"

They were interrupted by a loud crack and saw Inuyasha hurled into the trees with a tremendous explosion.

"Oh no!" said Miroku.

"Inuyasha! cried Kagome.

Finally, they saw a figure slowly emerging from the settling dust. "Heh, what the hell was that, Onigumo?" scoffed Inuyasha, wiping some blood off his chin. "Have you gotten worse or something?"

"Big words, for someone who's about to die," said Onigumo suddenly appearing behind him. Inuyasha had no time to react as he received another massive punch to the face that sent him flying.

"Kagome-sama! Hurry!" said Miroku. "If this keeps up…!"

"I understand!" said Kagome, taking the top off the jar. Taking an arrow, she dipped its head into the grey powder, making sure enough was on its tip. She then picked up the bow and pulled the arrow into position.

"Okay…" said Kagome taking a deep breath. '_This is it'!_ Her eyes focused on the battle as the arrow lit up slightly with the usual blue glow of her purification powers. Kagome was surprised when she felt a rush of heat pulsating from the dust on her arrow.

"Wow…!" whispered Shippou at the light coming from the ashes.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the battle. It was ready. Now all she had to do was hit the mark. Again, she saw Inuyasha slam back onto the earth and just narrowly miss being skewered by Onigumo's spike.

"Just wait for a good opening," murmured Sango, her eyes fixed on the fight.

"I would, but I don't think it's going to come!" said Kagome, beginning to shake from pulling back hard on the quiver.

Again, Onigumo zipped around their friend and planted a few more blows. Luckily, Inuyasha had enough strength left to put up his sword to block another strike from the spike. But it was a close call…

"He's tiring," said Kouga dully.

"Kagome-sama! Quickly!" cried Miroku.

Kagome's eyes were straining. Inuyasha kept getting in the way! She didn't want to hit him!

Then she saw it. With his back to her, Inuyasha had leapt in for a strike at Onigumo, Tessaiga raised above his head. Onigumo would be directly in front him. If she timed this just right…!

"INUYASHA! OSUWARI!!"

*****

"What the FUC-?!"

Inuyasha's nose hit the ground with so much force he could have sworn he felt the earth crack. He didn't have time to think before he felt the burning sting of purification power whizz over his head. A sudden flash of light and a guttural cry had his head pop up to look at his enemy.

Light pulsed around Onigumo as stood screaming in agony with an arrow sticking out his left shoulder. Suddenly the light intensified and his body burst into blue flames. Green scales, blue skin, and spikes began peeling away as the fire became brighter.

There was another horrific screech before the blue light exploded, expelling a half naked body that collapsed to the ground. Something that looked like a swirl of black mass spun into the air and disappeared into the sky.

Then there was nothing but echoing silence.

**A/N:** Good luck to any of you with exams!


	25. A Sense of Normalcy

A/N: Bloody hell this took a long time to get out!! Twas the season to be busy!, But still, I'm pretty angry with myself! Seriously, I sincerely apologise *bows deeply* m(_ _)m

Anyway, it's out now (Thank God!) so enjoy. Don't know when I'll get the next chapter out and I don't want to make any promises (because I just can't seem to keep them)! And I'd like to apologise in advance for any spelling mistakes. Can't seem to keep my right eye open.

**Thankyous:**

HeidiBax, mia1837, absolutely helpless, prettylilah, pAwpAw, LightxL123,inuyashaxkagome321, Wispr, ladylux, SesshiesPersonalPriestess, LoVe23, Sarah, Blueyedevil586, MariisCa, LunarEclipse896, InuyashaxKagome4evertwo **You guys are all so awesome for putting up with me! Thank you so much for your reviews!**

I realise I haven't said this for a while, but just in case you were wondering, no, I don't own Inuyasha. You're surprised aren't you?

Chapter 24- A Sense of Normalcy

Inuyasha stared at the blue sky where the strange black mass from Oniugmo had coiled like a cloud and disappeared.

He couldn't believe what had just happened. He was fighting Onigumo and the next second Kagome sat him before she released some fearsome spiritual attack that was unlike anything he'd seen before. Gingerly, he flexed his fingers in the dirt beneath him, trying to calculate any possible damage from the attack. He trusted Kagome completely of course, and he knew she wouldn't ever take a risk that may hurt him, but damn… his hairs were still on end from that raw blast of energy.

"Hojo-kun!"

Inuyasha heard the light patter of feet before he saw them pass his head and saw Kagome kneel down by the unconscious boy's body lying a few metres away. He watched as she managed to flip the half naked human on to his back and check for his pulse beneath his neck.

"Is he alright, Kagome-chan?" asked Sango coming up to the miko's side.

Inuyasha felt a rush of irritation as Kagome's hand came up to rest on the young man's forehead. "His heart is still beating…"

Feeling jilted and more than a little pissed off with Kagome's undivided attention on the boy, Inuyasha growled and managed to get to his feet. "Hey! What about me?! Wasn't I the one who was doing all the hard work just now?!"

Kagome looked up at him and frowned. "Don't act like a baby! Hojo-kun is a lot worse off than you!"

Eyes flashing, Inuyasha folded his arms and turned away. "Well, geez! Thanks for your concern!"

"Ah, bad luck, Dog Turd!" said Kouga coming towards him and patting him on the shoulder. "Just goes to show you how important you are to Kagome. Or should I say, _un_-important."

Inuyasha felt a vein pop on the side of his head and turned to punch the wolf who easily avoided him by landing on the other side of the unconscious human. "Who is this guy, anyway?" he asked peering at the sleeping boy's face.

"He's Hojo-kun, a friend of Kagome's," answered Shippou, seated next to Kagome's knee.

"Let's hope he still is," said Miroku grimly. He looked down at the young man's face and frowned. "After the sort of trauma his soul has been through, I wouldn't be surprised if there was lasting damage."

Inuyasha's ears pricked a little and looked towards the monk.

"What do you mean?" gasped Kagome.

"He might never regain consciousness, right, Houshi-sama?" whispered Sango.

"Indeed. Now all we have to do is pray he'll wake up."

*****

Kagura waved her fan hurriedly as the shouji doors instantly slid open. Entering the room she came to a stop to stare at the being hidden by dark shadows that was her master. _'Master…'_ she snorted to herself. She closed the fan in one hand and rested her other on her hip taking on an unintimidated posture. At least that's what she hoped it looked like.

A cup of sake halfway to his lips, Naraku's piercing red eyes locked onto hers.

"Kagura…" he rasped deeply. She repressed a shudder at his dark voice. "Where is it?"

The wind sorceress forced herself to take a deep breath, determined not to lose face. What a cocky bastard he was. One elbow on an arm rest, expensive sake bottle settled on the fine wooden table… There was no way in hell he would be relaxing in this elaborate room if he thought the time pearl was still around. He would be pacing around impatiently for her to get back so he could play with his new weapon.

Kagura's nose wrinkled but she quickly managed to relax the muscles before she answered. He knew all too well she didn't have the pearl, but she didn't have any choice but to go along with the question anyway.

"It's gone," she said dully.

Naraku continued to stare at her, his blood iris gleaming, unwavering. "Gone?"

Kagura gritted her teeth. Bastard really wanted to play? "Yes," she answered. "It turns out youkai _and_ humans are affected by the youkai powers of the pearl. The information regarding humans being immune was false. As soon as Kagome touched it, it was gone. Instantaneously."

Naraku finally raised his cup and took a swig of the remaining liquid, never taking his eyes of her. The 'chink' of the cup being placed on the lacquered table seemed to echo in the thick silence. Kagura involuntarily swallowed as he continued boring holes into her eyes.

"I left Kagome," she blurted out, unable to take anymore of the pressuring silence.

His calculating eyes didn't waver. This obviously wasn't a surprise either. "You did not do away with her?"

"It's not like I could; I was outnumbered. Even that wolf prince freak came along. But I'm sure it's not like you weren't watching through Kanna's mirror. You should have sent Onigumo to help if you wanted it that bad."

Kagura saw his red irises flicker. Her eyebrows knotted together. "…What is it?"

Naraku stood and walked to the open window on the far side of the room where the grey-brown mountains rose, intimidating. "It seems," he began after a long tense silence. "I have misjudged the human entity of myself."

Still completely confused, the wind youkai watched as her master turned around to look at her darkly. "He has gone against me. _Me_, who has given him life after all this time… all for the sake of satisfying his lust for one pitiful girl." He turned away mumbling. "Tch! _'Humans can touch the pearl'_…"

Kagura's eyes widened. Onigumo had betrayed Naraku? How on earth had he done it?

Her thoughts were pushed away from her as the evil hanyou turned his attention on her. "So, Kagura," he purred sinisterly (she struggled to suppress a shiver). "I have another mission for you…"

*****

Kagome wrung the cloth in the tiny bucket of water and glanced up at the sleeping boy. Hojo was still completely knocked out lying on Kagome's sleeping bag, bandages wrapped around his shoulder. Carefully she pulled away some of the binding and tenderly dabbed at the wound that was slowly healing. Despite the exorcising attack being purely spiritual, the arrow head was still sharp enough to cause a normal sized gash. Kagome glared at the angry red sore more annoyed than guilty that the attack had to hurt her school mate. She would have to make sure it healed over perfectly. Mind you, on the plus side, she wouldn't have to worry about the risk of infection thanks to the purification.

It was mid morning now, the sun shinning generously down upon their quaint little clearing that they had temporarily claimed for their own. After the fight with Onigumo yesterday the group had decided to move to a spot that wasn't as completely and utterly decimated like Inuyasha's battlefield. With the sun fading fast, they had managed to haul Hojo's body over Kirara and move him to an area close to a rushing stream; something which came in handy when they addressed Inuyasha and Hojo's wounds.

Finally finishing the changing of Hojo's bandages, Kagome's eyes swept up one of the trees that lined the grassy clearing to land on a flash of red. Inuyasha was draped over a thick branch, head resting on his hand, with his back to the group. He was in a surprisingly grumpy mood and had been ever since Onigumo had been defeated. Especially with her - though he had absolutely no reason to be!

As soon as she knelt down by Hojo's unconscious side after the exorcism the hanyou had gone into his full-blown Egotistical Jerk Mode. He started raving about how they shouldn't be taking care of 'this half-dead guy', how Onigumo might not be gone and how (just to make sure), they should kill the kid in case he was still the wild thief. This last suggestion was happily suggested with the assistance of the one and only Tessaiga whose gleam seemed to reflect in Inuyasha's golden eyes maliciously. Kagome had swiftly (and loudly) told him to stop acting like an idiot and that Hojo was completely harmless. Inuyasha clearly disagreed and the arguing couple continued their squabble until Sango and Miroku intervened. It was decided, much to Inuyasha's chagrin, that no one would harm Hojo until the nature of his soul was revealed. Of course, Kouga's taunting didn't help the hanyou's mood to lighten either.

Kagome's eyes narrowed as she gazed at the red haori up the tree. The sulking hanyou had been up there since last night, refused to look at her and only spoke to say some sarcastic comment. But that was fine with Kagome. She was more than angry with how juvenile he was behaving and so was silently thankful he was giving her the silent treatment (minus a few snide remarks) instead of antagonising her which would likely result in a quite a number of painful sits. And that was something she really didn't want to do especially since she had only recently returned to the group.

With that thought Kagome's eyes angrily snapped down to her curled fists in her lap. Honestly! She just got back! Couldn't he be a little nicer?! Kagome looked up at the others in the clearing. Miroku was silently stirring a pot of water that was bubbling quietly, a signal of its boiling while Sango was chatting quietly to Shippou as she polished her favourite and most lethal weapon. Kouga sat with his arms crossed, his back against a tree, huffing impatiently.

A soft smile graced her lips. It was amazing… Even though she had been held hostage for weeks, everything was still the same, except for Kouga's presence and the dishevelled kimono she was wearing.

"How much longer till the kid wakes up?" barked Kouga suddenly.

Kagome looked up at the wolf youkai. "He's still unconscious Kouga-kun," she said gently.

"Well, yeah," he said. "But how long until we know he'll never wake up or whatever? We can't just be sitting here forever."

Miroku looked up from the boiling pot. "It's difficult to say, Kouga. I've never come across anything like this before. His mind has been crushed beneath the consciousness of Onigumo's for the past few weeks, so I should imagine it will take a while for it to readjust to its body."

"But what if his body's been so physically damaged, even if his soul was fine, he might not wake up?" asked Sango softly.

"Then we can just blame Inuyasha," said Shippou bluntly as he walked over and sat down next to Kagome.

Inuyasha's ear had twitched at that remark. "What was that?!" he yelled down at the camp.

"Relax, Dog-Breath!" called Kouga, putting his arms behind his head as a wide grin spread over his face. "He's only saying the truth. You were pretty violent with Kagome's friend back there, so if he never wakes up at least we know who to blame."

Inuyasha, who had now moved into a squatting position on the branch, started before letting a smirk of his own reach his lips. "Heh, at least I actually did something. Who was it who was acting like a coward by the sidelines?"

Kouga lost his grin and stood up from the tree trunk. "I wasn't being a coward! I was aiding Kagome 'cause she actually had a way of defeating that bastard, instead of watching you continuously get your ass handed to you!"

Inuyasha jumped down from his perch and the two shoved their noses in each other's faces. "Yeah, well, when was the last time you actually fought against that guy, huh? I know a coward when I smell one!"

"And I know a Mutt-faced half breed when I smell one!"

"What was that, Asshole?!"

Kagome sighed. She watched the two idiots continue their childish verbal spar when she felt someone urgently tugging her sleeve.

"Kagome!!" shouted Shippou, jumping excitedly. "He's waking up!!"

"Ho… Hojo-kun?" gasped Kagome peering over his face. His eyelids scrunched together as consciousness came back.

"Hmmm…."

Slowly, the boy opened his brown eyes a crack, as he took the girl's face in. "Higurashi-san?"

"Hojo-kun!" cried Kagome happily. "How are you feeling?"

The boy blinked a couple of times before he bolted upright, looking at the bewildered girl with wide round eyes. The shock of such sudden movement had Shippou fall off Kagome's lap in surprise. "Higurashi-san! Are you alright?! I must say, I had the strangest dream! I dreamt I followed you down a well and met a monster and- Oh! By the way, how is your arthritis fairing? That 'gobo' root is supposed to be good for strengthening your body and-"

He paused and looked her clothes. "Higurashi-san, what a beautiful kimono! Are you going to a festival?"

Kagome smiled weakly and raised her arms trying to calm him down. "Not exactly, Hojo-kun…"

Over her shoulder, Kagome felt Inuyasha come up beside her. Even without looking at him, she knew he must have had his arms crossed and his frown plastered all over his face. Hojo's face shifted from cheerfulness to a genuinely polite expression as he took in the angry dog hanyou.

"Ah, you came to pick up Higurashi-san that day," he acknowledged with a bow of his head. Inuyasha didn't make any gesture of greeting.

Hojo's turned his head as Miroku knelt down beside him. "Hojo-sama? It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Miroku, a humble servant of Buddah who travels trying to spread peace and devotion to all who dwell in this land."

Inuyasha snorted. "More like trying to spread his hands on all women who dwell in this land…"

"Miroku, did you hit your head or something?" asked Shippou sarcastically.

Miroku looked down at the fox and frowned in feigned offence. "First impressions are everything, Shippou."

"Hello, are you all Higurashi-san's friends?" asked Hojo, taking in everyone who had crowded around him. "Ah! Are you doing cosplay?" He shivered for a second and looked down at his bare torso and the hakama that covered his legs in surprise. "Am _I _doing cosplay?"

"What the hell is 'KOS-PURAY'?" exclaimed Kouga, stumbling over the foreign word.

"Hojo-kun, what is the last thing you remember?" pressed Kagome.

Hojo looked at Kagome blankly and put his hand under his chin. "Hmm… The last I remember… Oh yeah!" he cried bringing down his fist in his palm. "I wanted to return that pretty piece of glass to Higurashi-san! But then I think that's when the dream must have started…"

"What dream?" asked Shippou, slightly excited.

Hojo paused for a second as he looked at the kitsune child. He broke into a beaming smile. "Wow! That's a great costume you have there!" he said happily oblivious. Shippou looked at him as if he was mad, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"What dream was that, Hojo-kun?" urged Kagome. How much had he seen of this world before Naraku got him?

"Well, I tried to follow you into the well house at the back of your property. B-but only to return the glass piece to you!" he said frantically waving a hand in front of his face. "I think that's when the dream started. When I got inside, the well and the glass piece started glowing and I jumped in, but when I climbed back out I was in the middle of a forest! Then it felt like I walked for hours and then a blue giant attacked me! But then a strange gentleman with scaled tentacles on his back saved me and then took me to a cave, but when he touched me… well, that was it. Such a strange dream…" he pondered putting his hand on his chin again.

Everyone exchanged looks, apart from Kouga whose eyebrows were knotted in complete confusion. "Anything else, Hojo-kun?" asked Kagome gently.

"Just weird flashes and images," he said looking at her honestly. He looked up at everyone around him, taking them in. "How strange, some of them involved you, and yet I don't believe we've met."

"So, Hojo-san, you started dreaming when you followed Kagome-chan into the well house?" asked Sango.

Hojo nodded. "Yes, but actually, I think it must have started when we were at school; because I dreamt Higurashi-san kept slamming Inuyasha-san into the ground whenever she said 'sit'…"

Sango and Miroku turned their heads and raised their eyebrows in complete synchronicity at Kagome. Kagome shifted uncomfortably and glanced up at them sheepishly. "He deserved it…"

"Deserved it fifteen times?" asked Inuyasha snidely, his arms crossed smugly.

Kagome got to her feet and thrust her nose in front of his face. "You're about to deserve it again!"

"Alright, alright," said Miroku stepping in between them. "Let's focus on the matter at hand.

"Keh!" Inuyasha flicked his head away.

"Higurashi-san… um… where exactly are we?" asked Hojo finally looking around at the dense forest that surrounded them.

Kagome smiled weakly and sighed. "This is going to take some explaining…"

*****

"I see…" said Hojo. "So all this time you were coming here."

"I am sorry, Hojo-kun," said Kagome, her hands around Shippou's waist as he sat contentedly in her lap. "It just made things easier if everyone thought I was sick. It's not like anyone would believe me, apart from my family. I'm sorry for all the gifts you wasted on me."

"No, no! Not at all!" said Hojo, frantically waving his hand again. "I'm just glad you weren't really as sick as your grandfather said. It's a relief knowing you don't have diabetes!"

Kagome had a sudden shock of déjà vu. She had had the same conversation with Onigumo back at the castle months ago and she had thought she was talking to Hojo then. Looking back on it now, she realised there had been a dark air around Hojo then, but now, all she saw was a happy schoolboy. How she thought Onigumo as Hojo was being sincere back at the castle, she'd never know.

"And that man who was controlling my body, the man I'm supposed to be the reincarnation of… he really did all those terrible things I dreamt about?"

"I'm afraid so…" said Kagome gently. Poor Hojo… She couldn't imagine how hurt and confused he must be feeling now.

"Damn, that Onigumo bastard!" said Kouga, sitting next to Kagome. He slammed his fists together. "If I ever see him again, he'll wish he was dead!"

Hojo looked down at his clenched fist for a moment before looking back up at her with round concerned eyes. "I-I swear, Higurashi-san! I am most definitely myself this time! I am not that bad man! I am not tricking you this time!"

Kagome looked at him in surprise and smiled warmly. "I know, Hojo-kun, I can tell."

"Speaking of which, Kagome-chan, how did you get that powder?" asked Sango from across their circle. The group had since sat around for Kagome's explanation minus one inu-hanyou who sat away from them, his back turned to the group.

"Yes, never have I heard of it before, but it worked a treat!" praised Miroku. Everyone looked at her expectantly, although Hojo was smiling blankly (they had yet to properly explain everything that had happened with the time pearl and the Shikon no Tama, hoping not to overwhelm him with everything else that had happened).

"Well, when I touched the time pearl I went back in time, because the rumour was a lie," she clarified.

Everyone nodded.

"And I met a beautiful princess and her son…" she said, her eyes darting to Inuyasha's back. "...who was a hanyou…"

She saw Inuyasha's ears twitch.

Everyone blinked at her. "A princess had a hanyou son?" asked Shippou.

Just then, a loud yell from the distance interrupted her explanation.

"Kougaaaaa!!"

"About fucking time!" called out Kouga getting to his feet. Ginta and Hakkaku stumbled into the clearing gasping and wheezing before collapsing onto their behinds, desperately trying to catch their breaths.

"Sorry *wheeze* for taking so long!" gasped Ginta.

"We *gasp* we were looking for you *pant* all night!" panted Hakkaku.

"We've been here the whole time, idiots! You need to get faster!"

Sango got to her feet. "Would you two like something to eat?"

"Oh, are you two Higurashi-san's friends as well?" asked Hojo enthusiastically.

In the commotion of their new arrivals Kagome placed Shippou down and walked over to Inuyasha. Upon seeing her approach out the corner of his eye he stubbornly flicked his head away.

"Inuyasha, let's go get some firewood so we can make some soup," she said gently.

"I'm sure you'll have no problem getting it yourself! Why don't you ask Kouga or that Hojo guy if you're scared of going off alone?"

Suppressing the twitch at the side of her mouth Kagome put on a smile. "I actually wanted to talk to you."

"Well I don't wanna hear it," huffed Inuyasha, sticking his nose in the air.

"Really?" asked Kagome looking down at him. She looked away and put a finger to her lips. "It's about Koinu-chan…"

Inuyasha's ear flicked again and slowly opened an eye to look at her.

"It's important, Inuyasha. Please," she said turning serious.

Inuyasha stared at her for a second before heavily sighing and getting to his feet. Neither was noticed by the raucous group as they silently left the clearing.

*****

"So what'd you wanna talk about?" asked Inuyasha gruffly as they walked through the trees in silence. He didn't actually mean for it to come out so short. He was actually quite relieved to get away from the noise and spend some alone time with Kagome, even though he was still fucking livid that she and the others insisted on taking care of that Hojo freak. He still didn't trust the innocent looking human male. But Inuyasha had to admit, he didn't seem possessed by Onigumo anymore. If he had acted irrationally… Well, maybe he would admit it was a good thing he didn't commit the finishing blow. Maybe.

He watched Kagome shuffle past him, being mindful of the long pink kimono she wore so as it didn't drag on the ground. She bent down and picked up a piece of wood.

"Well, we never really had a chance to talk before…" she mumbled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

Inuyasha breathed in her scent. When she had returned to the present, he was knocked off balance by the potent, nonchalant smell that surrounded her. Now, though the smell was nearly all but gone. The thought crossed his mind by how lucky he was for that warm scent to reach his nose again, especially when he never thought he would again.

It was the smell of his mother. Kagome was wearing his mother's kimono. The same pink one that she wore when she held him on the bridge saying her tearful goodbye, two hundred years ago.

Inuyasha suddenly felt overwhelmed by the turn of events. Who would have thought that now, his past was returning to him? All this time when he thought it was someone else, it had been Kagome. Kagome… His first love, all this time…

"It was you…"

It came out as a whisper, but it was loud enough that Kagome turned to look at him, her eyes wide with hope. She must have understood the look on his face because her expression softened to match his own; an expression full of awe and mutual understanding. They had been through so much together, but this strangely seemed to have changed things. Made their unbreakable bond deeper.

"Who did you think it was?" she asked softly.

"I thought it was Kikyou…"

Kagome's face froze.

"What?"

"Don't get mad! You two look similar, that's all!" said Inuyasha louder than he meant to. He looked away, now ashamed of ever getting the two confused. "Over the years my memory started to get blurry and I forgot what that woman looked like. Well, not completely… You two have similar faces so when I met Kikyou, I always thought it was her. And you said you wouldn't remember me when we met so I just assumed… Besides, I was just a kid then…"

He felt Kagome's eyes on him, but still refused to meet them. "So that's why you never mentioned it to me…" At her words Inuyasha's cheeks turned pink. Of course he didn't mention it. That was something too personal. Too special.

"When I was with you in the past," continued Kagome. "In your childhood, I often wondered why the you now never mentioned me. I thought you had forgotten."

Inuyasha snapped his head up at her. "WHAT?! How could I forget something like that?!"

Kagome blinked at him, surprised at his sudden outburst.

"Do you have any idea how much I thought about those times as I was growing up? About that promise you made to see me again?" he asked walking towards her, his golden eyes boring into hers. His hand clenched at his side as he looked down at her, their chests only an inch apart. "Kagome, I… you were the first one aside from my mother to ever accept me. You didn't care what I was."

"Inuyasha…" whispered Kagome, the same longing expression on her face he had come to crave. He gazed at her delicate features, her round deep eyes, pink cheeks before coming to stare at her lips.

Slowly he brought his arms up to wrap around her shoulders and gently pull her flush against his chest. He could see Kagome's blush spreading and feel her breath against his mouth.

"Kagome…" he breathed, his own heart pounding in his ears. He brought a hand up to cup her cheek. All this time, all these years, and she had finally returned. He was finally reunited with the woman who had kept his promise to see him again. His Kagome…

The mood was suddenly broken when Inuyasha's head suddenly jerked up, surprising the young woman in his arms.

"Inuyasha?" she asked confused.

"Darn, he was so close too."

Inuyasha swung his head around to see Miroku and Shippou peeking at them from behind a rock.

"Oh, he saw us!" said Miroku, genuinely surprised.

"That's cuz you're being too loud!" scolded the fox demon.

"What the fuck do you guys think you're doing?!" roared Inuyasha as he and Kagome jumped away from each other.

"We came to check on the firewood, but we didn't want to interrupt," said Miroku simply.

"Then you should have gone back to camp!!"

His cheeks blazing as red as Kagome's, Inuyasha lead the miko back to the camp with Miroku and Shippou following behind, both nursing large bumps on their heads.

"Higurashi-san," said Hojo coming up to the young woman by Inuyasha's side, a worried look on his face. "I must apologise. I… I had no idea you were engaged."

Kagome and Inuyasha stopped and looked at the human. "Engaged?" they asked simultaneously.

"To Kouga-san," Hojo answered innocently, if not a little deflated. "He just introduced himself. I guess all this time, I never read the signs that you were involved…"

"WHAT?!!" screamed Inuyasha, a vein popping out the side of his head. The rest of the camp looked up at the returning group, startled.

"Kouga-kun! Why would you say that?!" yelled Kagome, her fists clenched.

"Because it's true!" said Kouga simply, his hands resting on his hips. "It's only natural that I would wed my woman one day. I thought we went through this."

"Don't go deciding things on your own!" yelled Kagome and Inuyasha.

Hojo looked between them and smiled. "So he's not your fiancé?"

"No!" shouted Inuyasha while Kouga shouted yes at the same time. The two demons glared at each other, their teeth gnashing.

Poor confused Hojo just smiled. "I don't really know what's going on, but it's a good thing more people are staying with us!"

Inuyasha looked at the human boy with narrowed eyes. "More people?"

"Kouga said he's coming along as well until we get Kagome home," said Sango looking up from the steaming pot Ginta and Hakkaku was watching intently.

"Damn straight," said Kouga nodding. "After the hell Kagome's been through this past month, I'm making sure nothing else happens to her! And since she insists on staying with you, Mutt, I guess that means I've gotta put up with you. Hey, it's a small sacrifice for Kagome's safety!" he finished shrugging.

The hanyou felt his eye twitch. So not only was he going to have to keep an eye on that Hojo guy, but now he was going to have to put up with the mangy wolf?!

Inuyasha mentally screamed. This was going to be a fucking picnic.

A/N: DONE!! Don't know when the next one will be out, cuz I'm off on holiday. Happy New Year everyone!!


	26. Looming Shadows

A/N: No way. Could it be…? AN UPDATE!!!1!!

I know. I'm a bitch for not updating sooner (4 months?? Even I'm disgusted). Lots of stuff's been happening, good stuff, not bad so that's alright. But I swear, it's like my life's been given this huge boost of well… everything, so I've just been busy (which is more of a reason why I haven't updated rather than an excuse… right? Right?)

ANYWAY I always get sentimental when I write these things, but seriously, thanks for putting up with me taking so long. I know what it's like to wait for the next chapter of a fanfic and it can be very irritating. To be honest I probably would have lost interest in this a long time ago if you guys hadn't kept telling me to get my ass into gear (not in those delightful words, of course). So, in conclusion; feel the love everyone, feel the love. *chokes back tears from this moving moment*

It's a longish chapter so enjoy!

**Thankyous:**

LunarEclipse896, prettylilah, Tjam, absolutely helpless, LoVe23, LightxL123, MariisCa, HeidiBax, SesshiesPersonalPriestess, xxPuckRockBeautyQueenxx, InuyashaSano (*squeals* thank you!), Akin-chan09 (twice!), pApAw, musicgodess3 :::THANK YOU EVERYONE!:::

I don't own nothing.

Chapter 25- Looming Shadows

Kikyou moved silently through the trees, the moon casting light on her porcelain, stoic face. She had been walking for hours, but she was close, very close to whatever it was that seemed to be calling to her. Or rather, what seemed to be attracting her miko powers; her very essence that lay inside her clay body.

After her little interlude with Inuyasha and Kagome, the dead priestess had left with her mind set on one thing; Onigumo. When she had first seen the strange hanyou conversing with Kagura and Kagome in the clearing, Kikyou had absolutely no idea the hanyou abomination was actually Onigumo. She had heard of terrible ancient stories about two minds being forced into the same body. Usually the strongest mind was always the one to remain dominant, whilst the other was pushed to the back, or merely crushed under the sheer pressure of the stronger conscious. Of course, this sort of sorcery was barely ever mentioned, even in the legends that mikos, priests and Buddhist monks were taught.

One grisly myth, Kikyou recalled, was of two incredibly strong minded men whose minds were put into the same body through a complication. Neither would allow the other dominance over their physical entity and the men fought within the confines of the body for days until both went mad and started attacking the other; ironically with the body that both of them shared. Needless to say, it was not surprising that a situation like this resulted in one of the two murdering the other and, in the process, themselves as well, for one cannot live without a vessel for the soul. She of all people knew that.

A returning shinidama-chuu swiftly and expertly deposited a soul in Kikyou's body as she pushed aside the final branch of her trek. The silver glow of the moon illuminated what seemed to be the remains of fierce duel. What was once a thick part of the forest had been blown away. Tree trunks and splintered wood littered the area and huge chunks of earth had been ripped out of the ground. Kikyou's stern brown eyes swept across the area. This certainly wasn't a battle fought by humans.

A strong pull from the left of her had the priestess turn her head and slowly walk over to the other side of the decimated clearing.

She bent down, her soul collectors dancing in the midnight air above her.

She touched the dirt, staining her otherwise pure, white skin.

And she felt the stirring of such an ancient power a smile almost graced her continuously unfazed face.

Although she could tell this pull of spiritual power was only a remnant of its original attack, one that must have been launched half a day or so ago, the amount of it that still radiated was abnormally strong. Kikyou could only imagine what strength the spiritual attack must have had at its highest potency. Only one person could have possibly been able to handle something like that.

The miko stood up silently.

Her reincarnation.

Only the one who harboured her, Kikyou's, original soul could possibly be able to control such an attack. How she had even managed to find such power Kikyou wasn't sure, but she certainly knew one thing.

Her mahogany-brown eyes passed over the clearing.

She knew Kagome had been successful. And she knew, without a doubt, that Onigumo had been the target.

The miko almost gave a sarcastic snort.

How ironic. The very same day she discovered her hated enemy had somehow returned was the same day her chance for vengeance was ripped away from her. By no less than her reincarnation. However, if it could not be Kikyou herself, she supposed Kagome would be her next choice to deliver the wild thief to his death.

Her morbid thoughts were interrupted when she felt a demonic presence nearby. Her eyes shifted to a tree on the other side of the ravaged clearing. "If you have no business here, I would appreciate it if you would not spy on me," she called out.

The un-dead priestess heard an amused chuckle before a flash of colour emerged from behind the wide tree. Red eyes sparkled with mischief as the female youkai tapped her closed fan on her chin.

"I should have known I wouldn't be able to fool you, Kikyou," drawled Kagura, leaning on one hip.

Kikyou continued to stare at the wind sorceress impassively.

"Judging by your expression – or lack there of," Kagura muttered none too loudly. "I'd say you've already figured out what has happened here."

Knowing the dead woman wasn't going to answer her, Kagura casually sauntered over to a particularly deep gash in the ground. "Christ. Looks like they raised hell here." The youkai woman shivered and looked sideways at the silent miko. "But damn. That leftover spiritual radiation is not at _all_ welcome!"

"What brings you here?" demanded Kikyou softly; finally speaking.

Kagura smirked. "The same as you. I came to check something out."

The priestess' eyes narrowed. "Not for _your_ benefit, I presume."

A brief flash of irritation crossed Kagura's face, as she caught the underlying insinuation of her being enslaved, before nodding in affirmation. "For Naraku. He isn't very happy right now, which of course makes me ecstatic."

"Unhappy because he just lost another of his underlings?"

Kagura snorted. "Unhappy because that so called underling manipulated Naraku before he ran away to Kagome and got himself fried. Turns out he was sneakier than Naraku himself. Did you know that he's actually-"

"Onigumo? Yes," interrupted Kikyou.

Kagura huffed a little, disappointed there hadn't been a bigger reaction. "Then I suppose you also know that he's been trying to get his hands on Kagome who just yesterday evening exorcised him from that boy's body."

"The remaining spiritual power of that attack is evidence enough already," said Kikyou stiffly. She tightened the hand on her bow and took a step forward. "But if you know he was destroyed, why are you even here? That spiritual energy, even what's left radiating here, is enough to kill off even the strongest demons. You should not dwell here unnecessarily if you value your life."

Kagura smiled darkly.

"Who said anything about Onigumo getting destroyed?"

*****

"Keep talking like that, Wolf, and I'll rip your fucking tongue out!!"

"Hah! You couldn't get close to it even if you tried, Mutt!"

"Kagome, don't you think you should say something?" asked Shippou timidly.

Kagome sighed heavily at the kitsune's question. In silent response she reached up to her shoulder, on which he was sitting, and petted his orange bangs lightly. It always managed to calm her down, tousling Shippou's hair. Perhaps it was because the gesture helped remind her subconsciously that the fox youkai was still a child, and as the adult she should act in a mature and rational manner; something she had been trying to do ever since they woke up this morning.

…and something she was going to toss to the wind and start screaming like a child if this arguing kept up.

"To be honest, I'm actually quite impressed at their stamina," said Sango looking up at the white puffs of cloud that decorated the rich, blue sky. "They've been going since sunrise."

"And still they keep coming up with original names for each other. Quite a skill indeed!" said Miroku cheerfully, before chuckling.

"Uh, you sure that's considered a skill?" asked Hakkaku dryly.

"Maybe stupid people are the best at blowing hot air out their mouths…" whispered Ginta into his brethren's ear. Hakkaku nodded seriously in agreement.

"They don't seem to get along, do they?" laughed Hojo, genuinely. Apparently he thought the ferocious argument was nothing but playful banter between friends. Kagome sighed to herself. How wonderful it must be to see the world through Hojo's eyes. To him, a wasteland would have rainbow-coloured fields and unicorns trotting everywhere – and Naraku would probably look like a harmless, fluffy lamb with big innocent eyes. Kagome made a face. Perhaps it was better to be down to earth like her after all.

Continuing their steady walking pace, Kagome glanced at the human boy out the corner of her eye. Gentle warmth seemed to glow from the brown-haired boy's eyes as he smiled innocently at the two bickering youkai. It really was so surreal. The real, friendly Hojo was actually walking with her, her friends and allies in the Sengoku Jidai of Feudal Japan! Never in her life had she thought she would be able to share such an experience with someone from her time. In a way, she always wished she wouldn't have to; there were many dangerous people and more than one evil youkai after them. That was exactly why they were trying to get back to Inuyasha's village and the well as quickly as possible.

Her sight trailed down to Inuyasha's red haori that Hojo was wearing. Having only the black hakama as a souvenir of Onigumo's abduction of his body, Inuyasha had silently offered his fire rat to the young man before they had set out in the morning. That had certainly surprised Kagome and come to think of it, she hadn't thanked him for it. It was a big gesture considering Inuyasha's unreasonable dislike for her schoolmate. The young woman looked back to Kouga and Inuyasha yelling at each other, both trying to take position of leader.

"Kagome?" asked Shippou, as she placed the kit onto Hojo's shoulder and jogged up to the hanyou.

"Why don't you hang back there with the rest of your stinking wolves?" snarled Inuyasha, his golden eyes flaring.

"And let you lead us with that poor sense of smell? You wouldn't be able to detect danger until it was too late! Hah! But what else is to be expected from a half breed?" smirked Kouga confidently.

"Why you son of a bitch!" A hand patted Inuyasha's shoulder. "WHAT?!" he roared spinning around. Kagome jumped a little, but refrained from yelling a certain 's' word when she saw his face quickly turn to one of regret before an expression of careful confusion settled. "K-Kagome! What is it?"

"Um, it's nothing!" said Kagome suddenly feeling self conscious the moment their eyes met. "I just wanted to say thank you for lending your haori to Hojo-kun." She looked down at her twiddling thumbs. "It was really nice of you."

"It's not that big a deal…" mumbled Inuyasha, his cheeks going a little pink from the coy atmosphere.

"It kinda is," Kagome said glancing up at him. "I know how you feel about him…"

Inuyasha folded his arms and flicked his head away. "Keh! Well, it would be troublesome for him to go and catch a cold. It would just slow us down, you humans being so weak and all!"

"Hah! Isn't that rich?" scoffed Kouga, his arms crossed smugly across his chest. "But I suppose we don't have to worry about Mutt getting sick. As the saying goes, you're probably too slow to even catch a cold!"

A vein popped on the hanyou's head. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Kagome sighed for the fiftieth time that day as Inuyasha turned back to the heated spat. She did NOT have the energy to deal with this today.

"It must be nice having such energetic friends!" said Hojo, finally catching up to her. Shippou jumped back onto the young woman's shoulder.

Kagome smiled weakly as she patted Shippou lightly. "I don't think they're friends, Hojo-kun."

Hojo blinked at her. "Really? They don't seem like they hate each other, though. I mean, that's what friends do right? Argue really badly with each but never resort to blows?"

Kagome looked at the boy in surprise. That was true. Inuyasha and Kouga may have a fierce rivalry, but when it came down to it, they could cooperate when they wanted to. Perhaps this was the only way they knew how to converse with each other.

"So, then this Kouga-san is not your fiancée, Higurashi-san?"

Kagome blinked, coming out of her thoughts and waved her hand in front of her face frantically. "No! Not at all, but he is a friend and ally. He's saved me several times so we owe him a lot."

"Oh, I see… So he's asked for your hand because you are in his debt?"

Kagome scrunched her face. "Not exactly…"

"Hey, speaking of debts," said Shippou, perking up at the turn in the conversation. "You're Hojo, right?"

Hojo smiled warmly, if not a little confused. "Yes, that's my name."

"And you have an ancestor with the same name, right? One that's alive here, right now?"

Hojo gasped. "I suppose you're right! My family tree said I had an ancestor with my name around the time of the Sengoku Jidai!"

Shippou nodded, grinning and puffed up his chest. "You know, your ancestor Hojo is actually indebted to me!"

"You've met him!" exclaimed Hojo, looking at Kagome excitedly.

"Uh, yeah… once or twice…" answered Kagome.

"My goodness! How amazing time travel is!" cried Hojo, his eyes lighting up. "We must be the two luckiest people in the world, Higurashi-san! Can we see this ancestor of mine?"

"I don't think so, Hojo-kun," said Kagome gravely. "He lives really far away and right now the priority is to get you back home so that your family doesn't worry anymore. You've been gone for over a month!"

A serious expression spread across the young man's face. "Oh, of course! How selfish of me. But still, thank you for telling me you've met him, kitsune-san. You've validated his existence for me."

Shippou smacked his head in a grimace for a second before he jumped onto Hojo's shoulder to whisper in his ear. "You're missing the point! Your ancestor owes a debt to me because I chose to keep his secret. But it's a debt for life and he hasn't kept it. And as the custom of the 'Land of the Rising Sun' goes, it's up to his relatives to repay the debt!"

"O-oh, I see!" stammered Hojo, a little surprised. "Then I will do my best to repay you. I am in your care."

Shippou smirked to himself (had anyone seen it they would have been very worried). "Good!" Shippou stood up decisively on Hojo's shoulder and pointed to the horizon. "Then onward, Servant!"

"S-servant?!" stuttered Hojo.

"You heard me," said Shippou, his arms crossed, nodding his head.

Hojo sighed lightly, more from confusion than irritation, and proceeded to obey his master's command.

"Would you two give it a rest?" yelled Kagome, finally snapping (she had been too preoccupied with the heated quarrel to pay attention to Shippou and Hojo's interesting conversation). "We've all got headaches now thanks to you two!"

The two men looked at her in surprise before the wolf turned snarling at the white haired demon. "Y'hear that, Dog? Now you've given Kagome a headache!"

"How do you know it wasn't because of your incessant bark-!" Inuyasha cut off in mid sentence and flicked his head off towards the direction in which they were heading.

Kagome watched Inuyasha's golden eyes widen as he processed whatever it was that had caught his attention. "What is it Inuyasha?" she asked concerned by his wary expression.

"The smell of blood. Human blood."

Kouga sniffed the air as well. "Yeah, and lots of smoke. You can see it," he said nodding at the horizon where a several black columns of smoke, one larger than the others, were lazily rising.

"Could a village have been attacked?" asked Sango coming up beside her miko friend.

Inuyasha crouched down, presenting his back. "Get on, Kagome."

A little surprised by his serious tone, Kagome nodded and quickly settled herself before turning to her classmate. "Hojo-kun, it might be best if you stay here; it can get dangerous."

"You two," said Kouga looking at Ginta and Hakkaku. "You stay here with Kagome's friend."

"You can count on us!" answered Hakkaku nodding.

Not bothering to wait for Kouga to finish issuing orders, Inuyasha swiftly took off.

*****

Inuyasha had been having a shitty day. Ever since that friend of Kagome's had been exorcised and fucking Kouga decided to tag along, he had had absolutely zero time to talk to, let alone be near, Kagome. And it was driving him fucking mad.

He was almost thankful to smell danger and the slaughter of humans stemming from those black columns of smoke because he was finally able to have some contact with her. Inuyasha wasn't going to lie; since he had discovered Kagome was his first love, something had changed between them, even though they hadn't directly spoken of it yet. As for whether that change was a good or bad thing, he wasn't entirely sure, but all he knew was that he wanted to be nearer to her now more than ever.

Inuyasha subconsciously tightened his grip underneath Kagome's behind, making perfectly sure she wouldn't fall off, something he had found himself doing ever since he first began carrying her like this. Yes, he knew he definitely wanted to be closer to her, in any sense of the word (he was silently relishing in the physical contact they were sharing at the moment), but it was fucking difficult with the four extra new members of their group tagging along!

Since they woke up, Kagome had been fawning over that clueless Hojo guy, talking to Kouga's cronies and the others and when she wasn't, she would be yelling at him to stop fighting with Kouga! Inuyasha felt like growling. It wasn't his fault the mangy wolf was a freakin' retard who couldn't understand the meaning of "NOT YOUR FIANCEE". And as much as it riled him up that Kagome was telling him off, he couldn't blame her. After all, she had shown some appreciation for his tolerance of Hojo not too long ago by coming up and thanking him.

Well, at least she knew he was trying.

"Inuyasha! It looks like another village!" said Kagome leaning her face over his shoulder. Inuyasha felt his hairs stand on end from the close contact and suddenly realised just where his hands were, pressed near her most intimate of parts, warmth radiating from that 'particular spot'. Heat flowed to his cheeks and he struggled to keep his fingers from twitching. Yep, things had definitely changed between them, and that knowledge along with his secret, but still very strong, attraction to her made this moment all the more uncomfortable. Especially since she was back wearing that incredibly short uniform again! He almost wanted to curse Sango for carrying around the spare set in their luggage.

"Inuyasha? Are you all right?" asked Kagome.

"I'm fine!" he quickly snapped, forcing himself on getting them there without tripping over his quickly-growing-perverted thoughts.

"Heh, give him a break, Kagome," chuckled Kouga, casually running up beside them. "After all, it's difficult to think and move at the same time."

"Shut up, Wolf!"

"Are you sure you're okay, Inuyasha?" pressed Kagome. "You're more silent than usual."

"I said I'm fine!"

Hoping to distract her from anymore unwelcome observations, he pushed off a boulder with a mighty kick and let them sail through the air before landing by a bridge that stretched over a small creek. Directly across this bridge was the main street of the village, one that would have been bustling with crowds if it were not for the wave of destruction that had clearly come through not too long ago.

Houses near the entrance were torn down, stalls were overturned, merchandise and food littered the ground and the stench of thick smoke hung all around them. Inuyasha desperately concentrated on sniffing the air as he felt Kagome slide down his back a little too slow for comfort (he was sure he felt just about every single sweet curve she had slip over his clothed back). Judging by the smell, the fires were coming from the centre of the village. And it smelt like flesh was burning.

"What do you reckon, Inuyasha?" asked Kagome coming to stand by his shoulder. Inuyasha kept his gaze on the main street in front of them and despite his discomfort of a tingling sensation in his lower belly, he moved closer to the young woman.

"There's definitely a bunch of humans still here that smell of blood. I'd say we're up against bandits," he said to her as Miroku and Sango landed next to them on Kirara's back.

"Any survivors?"

"Hard to tell."

"So, do you reckon we should go in and get this over with?" asked Kouga, hands confidently resting on his hips.

"Yeah…"

Inuyasha was about to step forward when a small figure moved from the remains of a decimated building. A young boy, no older than eight, carefully checked no one was on the street before dashing towards them, his eyes wide with fear.

"A little boy!" exclaimed Kagome as the child came up to them, panting. Inuyasha's eyes and nose gave a quick sweep of him. He was covered in ashes and mud and his clothes were dirty, but aside from that, he couldn't smell any open wounds from the kid.

"Ah! Um…!" he started, trembling. "You should leave! B-bandits came and-! My father was-! And my mother…!"

Inuyasha watched as Kagome took a hold of the boy's shoulders. "It's okay, it's okay. Are you hurt anywhere?" As Inuyasha expected, the boy shook his head.

"How many of them are there?" asked Miroku.

"Um, m-maybe twenty?"

"Right," said Inuyasha sighing, his arms crossed indicating his mind made up. "Kagome, you wait here with the kid. The rest of us are gonna go ahead and deal with them."

"Are you sure?" asked Kagome.

"Don't worry, Kagome," said Kouga, clasping her hands in his. Had Inuyasha not been fuming at the sudden contact between the two, he would have nearly been able to see crystal pink bubbles floating behind them. "It'd be safer for you here."

Kagome laughed awkwardly. "Um, I'm not actually worried about that."

"I'll be fine, humans are no match for an Ookami Youkai like me," he said softly. Inuyasha was more than a little disappointed when Kouga managed to sense his swinging Tessaiga and dodge it before it severed his head. "Keh, trust a dog to ruin the atmosphere," drawled Kouga, dropping to the ground unfazed.

"Just keep your damn hands to yourself!!"

"Inuyasha, let's go! There might still be some more survivors in the village!" cried Sango as she and Miroku zoomed over the bridge with a resounding roar from Kirara.

"Yeah, the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can come back!" said Kouga grinning as he took off with inhumane speed. "Come on, Dog! What's stalling you?" he mocked over his shoulder. Inuyasha's ears twitched at this jeer, but refrained from answering back and instead turned to look at Kagome. She had her hands resting on the shoulders of the shivering boy (who was looking sicker by the second). Inuyasha felt an odd lump in his throat as he took her in. She was finally back in her normal clothes looking completely untouched, as if the last few weeks hadn't happened at all. Yes, nothing worse than kidnapping happened. Words couldn't describe how thankful he felt at that moment. He suddenly realised he'd been staring when Kagome tilted her head a little in question.

"If anything happens, call for me," he said finally. He watched her chocolate eyes flicker and felt something silent pass between them. Of course he didn't know exactly what that thing was, but he felt it all the same, a warm feeling that spread throughout his chest the longer he stared at her. He watched her nod before finally tearing his eyes off of hers and leapt over the bridge, eager to get this over with so he could be back within the range of those rich, brown orbs once again.

*****

Kagome watched Inuyasha's retreating back and couldn't help but feel a slight clench around her heart. She was a little at awe at what had just happened. She was sure Inuyasha would have gone straight after Kouga with his snide remark, but he had stopped himself and turned to look at her directly. It was 'The Look'. Kagome felt her stomach fill with something like a molten lava as his golden eyes smouldered at her, clearly trying to say something without words. It was difficult, but she managed to keep her face straight and tried to ask him what the matter was with the same silent language of the eyes.

"If anything happens, call for me."

His voice was huskier than usual and Kagome had to suppress a shiver. There was an underlying message to that sentence she could feel. It made her heart flutter and for a split-second, she had to look away from his intense golden pools. But instantly her eyes were back on his and it seemed the both of them were stuck in an intimate moment that neither wanted to break. It wasn't until Kagome's head cleared a little from the mood they had created did she realise he must have been waiting for confirmation. She nodded once, never blinking.

Seemingly satisfied he broke their connection and jumped after the others leaving Kagome to wonder what that strange interaction was. Her cheeks began reddening as she remembered the power his eyes held over her. Things were beginning to get more intense. At least, that's how she felt. Ever since she had returned, her interactions with her favourite hanyou had left her speechless and sporting a very pink face. Of course, Kagome was deeply in love with him and she knew that he at least had some feelings for her, but since the whole Onigumo fiasco, their relationship seemed… deeper than before, if that was even possible. Again, she flushed as she remembered their embrace in the forest yesterday. What would they do next? Twice already they had k-k-kis-!

Kagome shook her head violently, stifling a squeal. She was so embarrassed she couldn't even think the word! She was brought out of her musings when the little boy groaned and collapsed against her.

"Oh no! Are you alright?!" she cried, holding him up.

"I don't feel so good…" he mumbled weakly. Suddenly his eyes bulged and he doubled over coughing and retching. Kagome quickly knelt down beside him rubbing his back, desperately trying to help him expel whatever it was his body was rejecting. Finally the boy let out a mighty cough and, to Kagome's horror, a slimy white something fell out of the boy's mouth. With a cry she pulled the weakened boy away from it as it writhed on the dirt making a revolting squelching sound.

"W-what is it…?" rasped the boy, clutching to Kagome's arms encircled around his waist. It was then that the slimy thing finally got its bearings and what must have been the head finally turned itself to face the two humans.

Kagome's blood ran cold.

Blood shot red eyes.

A long scaly white body, that would change to a sick green as it grew.

Red appendages wriggling from the mouth.

"Oh dear God…"

*****

Inuyasha blinked as the smoke stung his eyes. It wasn't thick, but it certainly smelt fucking putrid. He was nearly at the centre from where the thickest column of smoke was rising. It hadn't taken him long to get here from where he'd left Kagome, but already he was getting irritated. He couldn't work it out. Right now all he wanted to do get back to her side and just _be_ with her. None of this sharing with Hojo and Kouga crap. Inuyasha's eye twitched. Maybe when he got her home, he'll spend the day with her, and only her, as a reward to himself. Yeah, actually, that sounded nice.

Feeling a little better at the idea, he eagerly rounded the corner to see the full extent of the bandits' raid. The centre square, which looked like it would have been beautiful with tall thin trees surrounding a quaint shrine, was now devastated. Only one of the thicker trees had survived the pillaging, the others just a pile of splinters on the ground. A group of terrified women were huddled together off to the side while the bandits, settled in front of the small shrine casually sneered at their new enemies, Kouga, Miroku, Sango and Kirara having already arrived.

"Well, lookee here, another one's shown up! We're having a lot of fun today, aren't we?" jeered one man who was practically bald apart from a few strands of hair. He had a katana draped over his shoulder, which was clad with the finest armour of the lot, and eyed them with an air of smugness. _'The Ring Leader, or at least Second in Command…'_ thought Inuyasha.

"Whataya say we add their corpses to our collection, men?" the leader smirked. The rest of the group laughed maliciously, some licking their teeth in anticipation. It was then Inuyasha focused on where the smoke was originating from. On the other side of the village square was a large pile of flesh burning away, its noxious fumes bleeding black into the sky. Inuyasha felt anger bubble up in his throat. So many innocents…

"You fucking bastards…' he growled, stepping in front of his companions.

"Oh, so someone's getting angry! Weird looking fella too!" taunted one man with little to no teeth.

"Not as bad as the other freak. Is that a fur loin cloth?" laughed another, pointing at Kouga.

"Che! Pathetic, how humans always seem to underestimate youkai. Keep that up and I'll rip out your tongue," snarled Kouga.

"Oh, is that a threat?" someone shouted. "Don't worry too much, we'll leave that girl of yours alive for a little while longer after we slaughter you." A few men grinned and stood up, advancing to the head of the pack.

"Inuyasha," murmured Miroku. "You see the shrine behind them?"

Inuyasha followed the monk's line of sight. The small shrine was indeed still thoroughly surrounded by bandits, one even lazing on the wooden steps, but why Miroku felt the need to point this out was beyond the hanyou. "Yeah, I see it, so what?"

"Look at the door, Inuyasha." Looking at Miroku weirdly for a second he did as he was asked. The door looked firmly shut and no different to any other shrine, but then a piece of white paper stuck in the middle of the frame caught his eye. Something with an ancient script written on it.

"A fuda? Are they sealing something inside?" murmured Sango, edging closer to her friends.

"Inuyasha!!" a voice screamed from behind them. Inuyasha whipped his head around to see Kagome running towards them, half carrying the boy who was running limply beside her.

"Kagome! I told you not to come!" he shouted. He was about to say something else when he took in the sight of her face. Her mouth was open, panting from exertion and her eyes were wide with horror.

"A snake!" she yelled, finally reaching them. "A hebi youkai! The same ones as-!"

"Let me out."

Everyone stopped and turned to look towards the shrine. Inuyasha felt his mouth go dry. The command had come from within that wooden building. And he knew that voice. They all knew that voice…

The bandit lazing on the stairs instantly shot up at the order of whoever was inside the shrine. "Yes, Okashira," he answered, marching up to the door, ripping off the holy seal. Everyone watched silently as the bandit slide open the door and moved out of the way, bowing to show his respect.

Dread slowly wound its way into the deep pits of Inuyasha's stomach. A shadow moved from within the shrine's depths and suddenly he was hit with an incredibly potent stench of youkai. He felt Kagome shift a little closer and heard her gasp, as the being within finally emerged into the sunlight.

"No!" gasped Sango.

"This is impossible!" spluttered Miroku, clenching his staff.

Kouga cursed under his breath.

"Well, hello to you too, everybody," chuckled a dark voice, black venom oozing from those seemingly simple words.

Black eyes bore holes into each and everyone of them as familiar sharp, white teeth clenched together in a sadistic grin.

"_Tadaima,_" smirked Onigumo.

**A/N:** Aahaha! Everyone's favourite super villain is back! Gosh I missed him. He's so much fun to write :D

Translations:

_Tadaima_ – said when coming home. I wanted to go for the creepy "Honey, I'm Home!" or "I'm baaaaack!" feel with this :P

_Okashira_ – Slang for "Kashirabun" which means 'Boss'… if I've done my research right.

Again, don't know when the next update will be, but hopefully it won't be another 4 months this time! Thanks for reading guys!


	27. Selfishness

Hello again! I know it's been a REALLY long time. I hope you don't hate me too much! I must have restarted this chapter about three times but was never happy with it. I'm not even happy with it now, but oh well, you have to bite the bullet sometime, right? It's a short chapter to slowly get back into it. **Like I said before, I WILL finish this story**, it just may take a while and I really am very thankful for your patience. Also, I apologise if the writing isn't very good; I haven't proof read it and I've been a bit out of practice…

I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I make any profit from this story.

**Chapter 26- Selfishness**

If it was one thing Onigumo knew better than anything, it was that people were selfish.

Onigumo had been through a lot in his life. He was abandoned by his good-for-nothing father at a young age and without having a strong male figure to depend on, his mother had to resign to becoming a common whore just to keep the two of them alive. Of course, with the disease and mental torture that came with the job, his mother hadn't lasted long and soon he found himself living on his own, trying to survive on the streets of a city whose inhabitants wouldn't do a thing to help an orphaned child.

'People are selfish'. It was the one rule that kept him alive.

It was due to selfishness that those bandits took him in, hoping they would be able to use him for their own personal gains. It was selfishness that the older men took his spoils after a raid, simply because he was younger and weaker than them. And it was selfishness that lead him to murder his Kashira, the gang's head, and then his fellow bandits. Such an event leading to his name being known throughout the lands as the fearsome bandit Onigumo who took no prisoners. Unless they were women. In which case, their captivity didn't last very long anyway.

Ironically, it was selfishness that lead him to pillage a secluded temple on one of his travels. He had let himself in, striking down a couple of monks who tried o stop him before discovering the poor excuse of a temple had nothing decent to loot. In his frustration, he had set the temple alight. He would have made his escape if he had realised there was a third monk in the storeroom at the time of his arrival. Without warning, he was attacked from behind. The old monk was a fast little bugger, but it was only a matter of time before his head was severed from his body. Unfortunately, he had held out long enough for the burning building to collapse around them.

And so ultimately, it was selfishness that lead to Onigumo's entire body being burnt, leaving him incapacitated and dying alone in the forest.

Surely it would have been his end were it not for a certain unnaturally beautiful miko coming to his aid, wrapping his wounds in bandages, giving him shelter in a cave and feeding him porridge everyday. It had occurred to him during one of these agonisingly long days of powerlessness when he had nothing to do but think, that Kikyou was perhaps the most unselfish person he had ever encountered. That epiphany alone would have been enough for an ordinary person to rethink their life and begin to regret and repent their atrocious actions. But for Onigumo, it just made him want her. Her, and her unselfish nature; it was so unique, so foreign and new. Something he had never tasted before. And as time went on, he began to want her so badly. So badly he wouldn't care even if he destroyed her in the process of having her.

_Selfishness…_

Yes, 'selfishness', giving into one's desires without thought or care, was the way to live. It was how he always lived. It was how he enjoyed living. And all alone in that dark dank cave that stunk of his rotten flesh and faeces, he had wanted to live. He had wanted to live so _badly_.

And so he called upon all the evil spirits and youkai he could, offering up his body, offering up anything he could of his humanity. To get Kikyou. To let him give into his desires. To let him _live_ once more.

But something went wrong and just like the time when he was a child living with the bandits, he was overpowered. For fifty years, he all but disappeared from existence. He was once released from that prison of darkness for a short while, only to re-engage with his two most hated enemies, Naraku and that half-breed bastard, Inuyasha who had stolen Kikyou's heart from him. But again, the darkness engulfed him and he had ceased to exist.

The next time he woke up he was in a young boy's body dressed in strange, torn clothes, in another God forsaken cave, but this time he was lying at the feet of the monster his selfishness had created.

The first impulse he had was to slam his fist hard into the ugly fucker's face, an impulse that he attempted to act on. But he had quickly found a tentacle of some sort wrapped firmly around his neck that rendered him immobile. Naraku had then drawn him much too close to those blood red eyes and held him transfixed there as he explained the situation in a voice barely above a whisper.

As Naraku recounted his story of finding a boy unconscious from an oni attack, Onigumo experienced the strangest thing; _he had __**memories **__of the oni encounter_. And they weren't from Naraku's point of view like he would have thought; they were from the victims'. He _remembered_ running scared through the forest. And he _remembered_ the feeling of his skin and clothes being torn apart from the oni's claws.

And slowly he understood, these weren't his memories. They were the ones experienced by the _boy_ whose body he was in. By _Hojo_…

Yes, he suddenly realised knew the boy's name. Already more of Hojo's memories came flooding into his mind. Of his parents, school, friends, and one particular striking mental image of Hojo, sadly staring in the mirror at the huge birthmark of a spider that covered his entire back. The same spider burn mark the bandit had received when caught in the temple fire.

And Onigumo knew, before Naraku even had to tell him. This boy, this Hojo, was Onigumo reincarnated.

He felt like laughing at his luck. Of all the people Naraku could have encountered, it was his reincarnation. He was about to say something when another wave of vivid images came.

It was of a girl… who looked just like Kikyou. But this wasn't the miko he had desired. This girl, in strange clothing called a 'uniform', had much more life and expression in her face.

He could taste the name on his lips.

_Kagome… _

Onigumo watched the memories play out in his mind and felt the warm emotions that weren't his spread through his chest. He watched the way her face lit up when talking to her friends and the way her shoulders sagged when she received a marked test from the teacher. Even the way her eyebrows knotted together when she was yelling at a particular white haired boy with dog-ears…

And suddenly with these thoughts came emotions, _his own_ emotions that flowed throughout his borrowed body. It was pure hatred, for he had recognised Inuyasha in Hojo's flashbacks.

Naraku must have sensed what he was seeing because he explained the connection between Kagome and the half-breed. And so Onigumo sat there listening to a story that spanned over 550 years as his mind slowly digested everything it could.

By the end of the night, he had struck a deal with the red-eyed devil that he created, but now had to call 'Master'. He agreed to being Naraku's minion because after all, they had a common goal; to destroy Inuyasha and company. But there was one condition to the agreement; let Onigumo keep the girl and do whatever he fucking well pleased. Naraku had just smiled, amused, but said nothing. Thus the pact was born.

But there were things Onigumo hadn't expected. Like how Inuyasha had foiled his first 'attempt' on Kagome, or how Naraku kept him from getting too close to her. Onigumo didn't like waiting. So he began to formulate his own plan when he overheard Naraku mention something about a Time Pearl to Kanna.

Now, Onigumo felt he was a genius. Plain and simple. And while he may not have had a good education, he was wise in the ways of the world and had a such a sharp mind that he had to find a decent rival for it. So while Naraku thought he was behaving himself, Onigumo had done his research on the said pearl of time, all the while seeking out youkai as a way of making himself physically stronger.

Without the devilish bastard knowing, Onigumo had spread rumours about the pearl, knowing full well the lies would eventually reach his ears. And they did. He knew his plan had worked when Naraku arrived at the village in time to offer Inuyasha's life in exchange for Kagome's cooperation. Then it was only a matter of time before Kagome found and took hold of the pearl, subsequently erasing it from existence. Just like he planned.

Get the girl, let Naraku use the girl, then keep the girl all the while putting Inuyasha through hell and back. And then of course, kill him. And eventually Naraku. It was a perfect plan.

Because no one kept him from what he wanted.

What could he say? He was selfish.

Onigumo looked around at each of his enemy's faces with glee. Each of them had their eyes practically bulging out of their heads. He especially enjoyed seeing Inuyasha's expression; anger was there of course, crossed with something that almost looked like his brain wasn't completely computing the situation. Quite hilarious indeed.

He quickly glanced at the Inu-tachi's member at the back of the group and felt a surge of anticipation as his eyes met the raven-haired woman. _Kagome…_ She was clutching a child, her eyes wide with fear, anger and… did he detect a hint of despair? Onigumo chuckled to himself. Damn straight, she felt despair. Seemed she was finally realising how impossible it was to escape from him. He quickly noted she was back in that uniform of hers instead of the kimono she wore when she had exorcised him. Not that he minded the change in clothing... He quickly made a sweep of her bared legs and swallowed hard.

"Well?" he asked, feigning insult. "You're not going to say 'Welcome back'? How disappointing!"

"Bastard…! How-?" spat Inuyasha. It seemed all that angry confusion was making it difficult to get the words out.

Onigumo grinned. "Like I said before, _desire_". He let the syllables slowly roll off his tongue. Man, he loved saying that word.

"You were exorcised," spoke the monk calmly. Onigumo watched as the human's hands nervously gripped his staff. "We all saw it. How is it you are still alive?"

"What is exorcism?" said Onigumo throwing up his hands. He began walking down the steps of the shrine. "Isn't exorcism traditionally the removal of spirits? If so, it had the desired effect, didn't it? How is my reincarnation? Doing well?"

"We'll make sure you'll never touch him again!" shouted Sango. Onigumo laughed.

"Don't waste your energy. I wouldn't want to go back into that body. Not when I have this!" he gestured grandly to his form. "You are now looking at a fully-fledged youkai."

His grin widened as he watched his enemies' faces freeze. "And you can tell can't you?" he directly said to the white-haired half demon. He was sure he could see Inuyasha's hairs standing on end.

"But weren't you just a fucking hanyou before?" spoke the wolf youkai. Onigumo spared him a glance before returning to the angry golden stare of Inuyasha.

"Shall I tell the story of how I became yokai?" he said as he dramatically turned away to face his many dishevelled followers. His men clapped and cheered. He smirked. Oh, how he loved being the centre of attention.

"Well, after that magnificent attack by our very talented and beautiful miko here," he began nodding at Kagome, "I was forced to be ripped away from my human host."

His eyes darkened at the girl. "And it fucking hurt like hell," he growled deeply. He watched her swallow nervously and readjust her grip on the faint-looking boy.

He began to casually pace. "And so I, a bodiless life form, was thrust out. I could do nothing but escape from the pure light that engulfed the boy's body. Understandably I don't remember much, but for a brief while I was nothing but a mindless… thing… hmmm… I suppose technically I was dead. Anyway, I was relying solely on instinct. In other words, searching for another host."

He paused for dramatic effect. "And I found one. A simple mountain youkai hanging by a pool all alone. He didn't even see me coming, and by the time he did, it was already too late."

There was silence in the town square. Even the bandits didn't move a muscle. Onigumo basked in the moment.

"And so I instantly set out on finding strong youkai and binding themselves to me much like I did before only instead of pieces, I conquered the whole of the youkai. I was strong enough to over-power other youkai this time, you see. And gained some pretty interesting abilities too." He flexed his normal-looking bicep, as an example. He knew they were surprised to see him look so… human. The ability to control his appearance was a fantastic skill indeed.

"And then I found these bandits wandering around, thought 'what the hell?' and a couple of weeks later, here I am as their, er… Commander in Chief, so to speak."

His men hooted.

"So you're just like Naraku?" stated the priest.

"Wrong," said Onigumo holding up a finger. "He's hanyou. I'm full youkai, which makes me much, much stronger. And more dangerous."

"The exorcism should have been enough to stop you!" cried Kagome, shielding the child away from him.

Onigumo looked directly at her. "Don't get me wrong, Kagome. Any other spirit would have been destroyed by that attack. But not something as strong as me. I'm just awesome like that." He grinned.

"So, what do you say we get down to business, men?" Onigumo shouted eagerly and rubbed his hands together. "There's only one youkai and a half-breed. The rest are human. I'm sure you can more than handle that." The men roared and raised their weapons.

"You think humans are any match for me?" shouted the wolf prince. "Don't get fucking cocky!"

"Don't touch the woman in the short green yukata," ordered Onigumo, ignoring the wolf. "And do whatever you want with the rest, but the half breed is mine to take down."

He watched as his enemies readied themselves. Even Kagome took out her bow and arrow, gently pushing the boy behind her. Onigumo caught the glowing golden eyes of his most hated nemesis and couldn't resist gleefully smiling at him.

"Attack," he commanded.

**A/N:** Till next time!


End file.
